The Traveler, The Shadow, and The Thieves
by TwoFacedPierrot
Summary: When Kagami Taiga was saved by a group of thieves known as the Generation of Miracles, he finds himself in a big mess. And things only got more complicated when he falls for a thief with the name of Kuroko Tetsuya. AU. Overprotective GoM. KagaKuro.
1. Chapter 1

**I just had to OTL**

**my national exams are in three days and here I am writing this lol /shot. **

**I seriously have no idea right now on how I should continue this. Let's hope I can complete the story in less than fifteen chapters OTL. I can't do another 40+ chapter fic like what I did with my Kuroshitsuji fic anymore QAQ. rather, I don't want to /shot**

**herp. KuroBasu isn't mine. Excuse my mistakes. Thanks in advance for reading!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

In a place very far away, there existed a country in the west where social rankings mattered the most. Rich merchants, ministers and royalties lived their lives in the big city where no one was ever hungry, cold, depressed, or alone. There were enough food, shelter, and clothes for those who can afford them.

But for those that were poor - penniless, even, it was a conspiracy. Only those who have the money - the wealth - are allowed to stay and work in the city. Peasants were no given a chance to even step foot through the giant gates that separated their world from that of the people beyond those metal poles and concrete walls. They were all forced to live in a small village deep in the woods, prone to fatal plagues, scraping for food, and barely keeping themselves alive. And for those desperate enough to climb the gates leading to the city, they were never seen again.

It was a place where you were either born rich or poor.

It all happened very suddenly. It had been an especially difficult month that time. It rained every day, and it interfered greatly with the villagers' attempts to survive. They could not go fishing at the river - and even if they could, their catch would only last for three days at best. Meat spoilt easily. Fires could not be lit up for there were little dry wood to be found. Hunting was very difficult as the rain made the forest floors slippery beyond imagination.

Villagers slowly died one by one - from starvation, exhaustion, and sicknesses. Little can be done. There was not enough food to be shared, and there was nothing they could do to cure those cursed diseases. All hope was lost.

Until _they_ appeared.

'_They'_ were a band of six thieves who had a lot in common. They had all lost their parents to fate, and had did their best in the struggle to survive alone. They were all coincidentally the same age. They had the talents to keep themselves and others alive.

And they were barely adolescents.

Despite that, their talents for thievery were undeniable. They rose like a phoenix out of ashes in the misery. During the times when everyone in the village had just decided to give up on life and let themselves rot away, they carried out their very first mission. They'd somehow found a hole in the great walls that separated them from town, managed to slip in unnoticed, and had brought back with them several bags of food that could feed the entire village for five whole days.

And that went on every alternate days for years. They only stole food, clothes, and all the other basic necessities. Never money. Because they knew there was no point in taking money when there was nothing to be traded with.

The villagers were amazed. Not even adults had succeeded their attempts in stealing from the rich. But here this group of children are, returning from town alive carrying loads and loads of precious items with them almost every day. Bounties were shortly placed on their heads, offering a constantly increasing amount of money to anyone who manages to catch them. Someone had yet to claim it. They were never caught once.

And that was how they got their name. That band of thieves who were considered as nothing less than a miracle sent by God by the villagers, was later known as the Generation of Miracles.

**xXx**

Kagami Taiga was a traveler from the country of the East.

He had been born into an utterly boring life in a cozy town, and he yearned to see the vast world ever since his mother started telling him stories about the beauty of grasslands in the countries of the east, and about the sweetness of the honey fountain somewhere in the North. He hated being confined in his house, and would spend most of his days in the forests; fishing, hunting, and learning all the survival skills he would need.

And when he turned fifteen, he set off on his journey with his parents' blessings. He'd packed with him enough food to last him several days (he figured he could hunt for more when the time comes), some change of clothes, and some small weapons to help ward off rampaging animals and whatnot.

Kagami started his adventure by going to the country of the West. It was the hardest, but the path to the north from there was the easiest and shortest. The only way there was through the thick forest. Despite the fact that Kagami had practically grew up with trees, he was starting to hate it. This forest wasn't the one he was used to. It wasn't his domain. It was trying to slow him down or break his willpower by attempting to trip him with every step he took. The ground was uneven, muddy, and basically not very comfortable to step on. It had only been the first day, but Kagami had already came close to spraining his ankle for the eighteenth time.

Even so, Kagami did not give up. He learnt to adjust his footing to the ground, and was soon able to walk normally enough. His food supply ran out fast due to his humongous appetite - which, had only been made worst by all the energy he spent crossing the woods, and he had to hunt. He thanked whichever deity who was listening for bestowing upon him the talent to find food and water.

But as he ventured deeper into the woods, he wasn't so sure anymore. Kagami eventually saw nothing but trees, trees, and _more_ trees. No berry plants. No tiny animals scurrying around. Just trees. And _dammit_ - why the hell was the ground getting harder and harder to move on? Those stupid gnarled roots were just getting on his nerves.

A sigh escaped his lips as he pushed the thought away. What was he doing, trying to yell at _plants_? He should just save his energy for the rest of his journey instead. With that in mind, he forged on, all the while assuring himself that once he passed the forest, things would not be so complicated. He would reach some kind of town, and will have the chance to replenish his supplies and stuff.

It sounded like a lie even in his thoughts.

**xXx**

"..Umm.. sir? Are you alive?"

A finger prodded his cheek. Kagami could not open his eyes, and he was barely aware of his surroundings. Did he faint? He couldn't feel his limbs. He felt so weak. He could only manage a soft groan to answer whoever directed the question to him.

"Should we bring him back with us?" the same voice sounded. Kagami heard lots of shuffling. He guessed there were several people there.

"Do you think we have enough for him?" another voice said, sounding doubtful.

Kagami had no idea what they were talking about. But his consciousness could only last that long. Hunger had drained most of his energy, and he once again blacked out.

**xXx**

A boy slipped into the busy streets, weaving through crowds of people.

His big blue eyes darted around, surveying everything in his surroundings with a single glance. There was a fruit store to his left, a tent selling warm quilts to his right. And further ahead was a bakery and several other buildings that sold all kinds of items.

He stopped before the stall selling fruits, pretending to blend in with the crowd. It wasn't hard. Everyone there was well fed and were wide enough to hide his overly thin frame. He leaned to the side, and saw what he was looking for. He pushed his way out of the crowd, and pretended to walk away, looking like the fruits were completely uninteresting to him when his stomach was actually growling like an angry dog.

And in barely five minutes, he saw his chance. The stall owner was in a pinch with all the gathering and over-demanding customers. Lots of curses broke out. The boy quickly slipped past the man, unnoticed, and with one mighty heave, he slung a good-sized sack of apples over his shoulder.

He was running before the owner could even realize what had happened. He was about fifty meters away when he heard an angry roar, and a stampede of footsteps was charging towards his direction.

"_It's that boy! Get him!"_

He slowed down - half because it was all according to plan, half because he really _did_ feel tired. The fruits weren't weightless, after all. He counted the seconds pass - one, two, three..

A shadow rose behind him, and he heard someone yell "I caught you!" before being completely enveloped in darkness. A wave of humans crashed upon him, all struggling to grab hold of his hands, legs, clothes - whatever that was connected to him.

"Wait! Stop! Something's not right."

The person who spoke was blissfully ignored. But when they finally calmed down and ungrouped, the boy and the stolen apples were nowhere to be found. Not a footprint, strip of fabric, and even a hair was left behind.

It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

…

"That was easy!" A blonde boy chimed as he and his companions slipped into a dark alley leading towards the big concrete walls. He held two full sacks over each of his shoulders.

"Shut up, Kise. You're gonna lead them to us with your loud voice." His companion, a tanned bluenette retorted.

"Ehh, but didn't we do a good job?" Kise whined, ripping off the ragged cloth that was covering most of his face. Then his golden eyes widened, and he spun around frantically. "Wait. Where's Kurokocchi?"

"I'm right here."

The tanned boy, whose name was Aomine, had to clamp a hand over his blonde companion's mouth to stop the shriek that threatened to inform the whole country of their location.

"W-When?" The blonde stuttered, trying hard to stop his crazy heartbeat.

The boy that had appeared only tilted his head, eyebrows wrinkled slightly. "Since the beginning."

"Don't scare me like that, geez!" Kise said, easy tears filling his eyes.

"You're being a wuss," Aomine grumbled, turning on his heels. "Let's just go already. Akashi will skin us if we're late again."

No one bothered to argue. Akashi was scary and _that_ was that. The three boys silently made their way towards the hidden exit/entrance they'd been using to sneak into the city for the past five years. It looked just like any other part of the wall, but they knew where to look. The trio stopped before a particular spot, and temporarily set down the stolen goods. They then proceeded to press their shoulders against the rough surface of the wall, and pushed.

A solid slab of concrete came loose and revealed a hole the shape and size of a door. The boys slipped through the exit, and replaced the slab. Once again hefting the sacks over their shoulders, they headed right into the woods.

If it weren't for their years and years of experience, they would've gotten lost countless times. The path they used was overgrown with plants, and there was barely a visible track. Weak rays of sunlight streamed through the thick greenery. Strange cries of all kinds of animals echoed in the distance.

Despite that, the boys could make their way back to the village with their eyes closed. The muddy ground did not bother their bare feet at all. The plants served as signs and landmarks. The sounds of animals made them relax. This was _their_ territory. No one from the city would dare to even leave the gates, let alone chase them all the way into the forest.

"Eh, Kurokocchi?"

The boy with the name of Kuroko had stopped in his tracks, his gaze focused to their right. The other two followed suit, expecting something out of the ordinary. They only saw more trees and shrubs.

"Tetsu," Aomine voiced, confusion obvious in his tone. "What's wrong?"

"..There's someone there."

His friends did not doubt him. They knew of his observation skills. They squinted, trying to figure out what exactly their shorter companion was talking about. Kise stood on his tip-toes to get a better look. Aomine merely grunted before walking further east.

"Don't get lost, Aomine-kun," his pale friend warned.

"I won't," Aomine huffed. "Let's just see who's there and get this over and -"

He stopped short. Raising their eyebrows, Kise and his remaining companion reluctantly headed over.

Then they realized why Aomine had not bothered to continue his sentence. Lying there face-first on the ground, was an unconscious boy they'd never seen before.

**xXx**

When Kagami came to, he found himself in a wooden hut.

His head hurt as he sat up slowly, trying to understand the situation. A patched-up blanket slipped from his shoulders to the floor. Where was he? The last thing he could remember was that he'd been so very hungry when he was crossing the woods. And then that was it. He figured he must've blacked out in the middle of the way or something.

"It seems that you're awake."

Kagami's head whipped to the direction of the voice. Standing at the entrance of the hut was a bespectacled boy with neatly cut green hair. He wore rags for clothes, and Kagami noticed the bandages on the fingers of his left hand when he reached to adjust his glasses. He looked about Kagami's age.

"Where am I?" Kagami asked, glaring at the boy. He set his nerves on high alert mode. "What happened? And who are you?"

The boy did not answer. For some reason, his calculating stare really pissed Kagami off. He looks like those ladies back at home, Kagami realized. He'd received the very same type of look from the people in his home village every time he goes to the market to help with the shopping. Kagami had learnt over the years to ignore them, but that did not stop the fury that burnt in his heart. So what if his mother used to be a harlot? She was the best woman in the world. She'd raised him with all the love he needed, and she'd loved his father dearly. She'd given up on her old ways and had started doing decent jobs to make ends meet.

Nothing was wrong with that.

"You are in a village in the middle of the forest," the boy answered, just when Kagami's temper was about to flare up. "You fainted somewhere, and my.. acquaintances found you when they were returning from a job." He once again pushed his glasses up his nose. Kagami waited for him to say more, but instead received silence.

The growl of his stomach helpfully broke the quietness.

The bespectacled boy turned to leave.

"Hey, wait!" Kagami yelled after him. "Where are you going? You haven't answered all my questions yet!"

The boy glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "I don't suppose you want food, then?"

"Huh?"

He exhaled in exasperation. Was the redhead a freaking _idiot_ or something?

"Just follow me if you want to eat," he said, and continued walking.

This time, Kagami didn't try to question further. He carefully stood up, making sure his legs could take his weight. They were shaking slightly, but he figured he'll survive. He took a tentative step forward, and found himself still standing. A grin spread across his face. He could still walk. He made his way outside.

Calling the place a village almost seemed to be an understatement. Worn down huts and tents spread in every direction as far as Kagami could see. Sunlight blinded his eyes. The heat was almost unbearable. Kagami peeled off his dirty tunic, leaving only a loose white shirt and his trousers on. He slung the piece of garment over his shoulder and stepped out from the hut. The ground was sandy and firm, unlike its forest counterpart. People in rags were walking here and there, some stealing a glance at the redhead, some ignoring him completely. Kagami looked around. The green-haired boy was nowhere in sight.

_That little bastard,_ he thought. _If I ever see him again I'm so going to.. _

"Hurry, Mummy! They're giving food at village square!"

Kagami's train of thoughts stopped short. He raised his eyebrows at what the child had just said. For the first time, he noticed that everyone around him was heading towards a specific direction. Positive that they would lead him to the food he needed so much right then, he followed the crowd.

The entire population of that place must've gathered at the place where he assumed to be the village square. For the next ten minutes, Kagami only saw humans, humans and more humans. He realized this must've been the famous 'Lunch Time Rush' phenomenon he'd heard about when he was a kid. Kagami towered over many people thanks to his height, but it didn't help much. He was pushed around all the same.

But his height _did_ help him see the medium sized open-air tent that had been set up several yards away from where he stood. He could make out several silhouettes standing behind a few gigantic pots and handing out food. He could see that the children were having their turn first, women next, and men the last.

Kagami knew his stomach wouldn't last _that_ long.

He had to think of a plan fast, while he still had his consciousness. Kagami headed towards the edge of the sea of humans, where the crowd wasn't as thick and suffocating. He had to take a longer way and use more energy, but he had no choice. It was either that, or wait for another hour. Or week.

Kagami was almost at the front now. He noticed the group of adolescents queuing behind the kids. To make it there and blend in would need him to plow his way through the crowd. Kagami took in a deep breath, counted to three, and with his fists clenched, he shoved his way through.

The next few minutes felt almost like an eternity. Kagami wasn't aware of anything other than the elbows on his face and the knees on his stomach and the feet stepping on his own. The crowd itself seemed to be repelling him. He was hungry. He was weak. Kagami somehow got the feeling that he would lose the fight.

But his stomach urged him on. It was almost growling loud enough to be heard over the noise. Kagami gritted his teeth, and with one last surge of strength, he pushed through.

If he could choose, Kagami would've preferred to be ignored rather than to be the centre of attention. He could feel dozens of pairs of eyes trained on him after that pathetic stunt. Silence suddenly spread through the crowd.

Kagami straightened. He awkwardly raised a hand in greeting, and said something like, "Um.. hi."

The silence that followed was broken by a cheery blonde boy standing under the tent. He held a ladle in one hand and a half-filled bowl in another.

"So you're finally awake!" he beamed. His voice sounded familiar, though Kagami couldn't really be sure. "And I guess you're really hungry to do something like that."

Kagami felt himself blushing because it was the truth. Seeing the tint on his cheeks, the blonde let out a good-natured laugh and waved him over.

"Come on. I'll serve you first. Akashicchi wants to meet you later, and you do not want to be late."

_Akashi? Who the heck is that?_ Kagami knitted his eyebrows, but accepted the offer anyway. The other kids were surprisingly nice enough to let him go first. He struggled to keep his drool in his mouth as the boy ladled some porridge into a bowl. It smelled somewhat similar to what his mother used to make back home.

_Huh. Only a few weeks of travelling and I'm already homesick_, he realized.

"Here you go," the blonde handed him the filled bowl. Kagami took it and muttered a thanks.

"Oh, and before I forget," the blonde said as Kagami turned to leave. "Can you take your meal over there?" He jabbed his thumb behind him.

"Huh?" Kagami gave him a confused look. "Why?"

The blonde shrugged. "Personal request?"

_This guy is weird_, Kagami decided with a sigh. Oh well. What harm can it do? He made his way to the back of the tent, careful not to spill his hard-earned food. It was quieter over there compared to the madness of the crowd gathered in front of the tent. He turned at a corner and disappeared behind a sheet of canvas.

Kagami immediately stopped in his tracks. A group of adolescents were already there, enjoying their own meals. Kagami recognized the green-haired boy from earlier. The other three, too, had strangely colored hair compared to the other villagers. There was a giant with purple hair that touched his shoulders, a tanned bluenette with a cocky look on his face, and - _ack!_ When was he there? - a frail looking boy with pale blue hair. They were all sitting on pieces of hollowed logs.

As soon as the strange group heard his approach, four pairs of eyes looked up and focused on the redhead. Kagami gulped, feeling uncomfortable under their intense gaze.

"Err.." he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "The blonde guy outside asked me to come here so.."

They stared at him as if he just spoke in some foreign language. Strange. Kagami was sure he was speaking a universal language.

"And so I did." A voice suddenly sounded from behind him. Kagami glanced over his shoulder to find the blonde walking towards them, wiping a faded towel across the back of his neck.

"But this is our spot, Kise-chin," the giant whined. For someone so big, he sure had a childish personality.

"I can't help it," Kise protested. "Akashicchi wanted to meet him after finding out he's a foreigner."

"Wait. What?" Kagami interrupted, sounding exasperated. "Hold up. Can someone tell me what exactly is going on?"

"You fainted in the middle of the forest," the tanned guy said helpfully.

"And we saw you and brought you back with us," the blonde guy added.

"We reported it to Akashi-kun," the smallest boy said. "He wants to meet you when you wake up."

"What do you mean meet me?" Kagami asked, bewildered. "I mean, I'm just a traveler that happened to have fainted while crossing the forest. What's so special about that?"

"That is _precisely_ what's special. You're not from here," a voice sounded from behind Kagami all of the sudden. The redhead involuntarily let out a surprised yelp before turning and finding himself face to face with..

There's no one there.

He casted his gaze further downwards.

A pair of mismatched eyes glared up at him. Kagami gulped and found himself instinctively bending his knees slightly to reduce the different in height between them. The boy standing there had bright red hair several shades lighter than his own. He had this look of superiority on him, for some reason. He looked like someone who expected to be obeyed at all times. Kagami got the feeling he was. He casually twirled a small knife between his fingers. Kagami's hands flew to his belt. That knife was _his_. When did he-?

"Sit down," the boy commanded. "You can eat while we talk."

**xXx**

They were a band thieves known as the Generation of Miracles.

Kise Ryouta was the boy with hair the color of spun gold. He had handsome features that were not at all affected by the poverty he'd endured when he was a child. His specialty was copying. He could copy disguises, handwriting, and actions to perfection. All with one look. He had been caught several times when he was distracted, but had escaped all the same.

Aomine Daiki was the tanned guy. He hadn't always had that arrogant look. Kise claimed that he'd started looking like that just recently, but that's besides the point. Aomine had undeniable talents in thievery. He was fast, silent, and agile. And he was strong. His thefts alone were able to feed the whole village. Few people from the city had managed to just touch him.

The green-haired boy was Midorima Shintarou. Despite his young age, he served as the doctor of the village. He learnt medications from the books he stole a while ago. He seldom participated in the thefts, preferring to just write down the necessary items and leaving the rest to those who are going. He only does the job himself when he deems absolutely necessary or when Akashi says so. He was known for his accuracy in many things; mainly identifying herbs or when handling long range weapons.

Murasakibara Atsushi was the giant. He had to be at least two meters tall since he towered over even Kagami. He ate anything as long as it's edible. He specialized in stealing big, heavy things like metal objects and whatnot. He was surprisingly fast at moving, considering his monstrous height.

Akashi Seijuuro was the redhead and leader, as Kagami had expected. Apparently, those mismatched eyes held the ability to predict the future. Because of that, Akashi was more of a planner, and his plans never fail. His orders were absolute, and he was really scary - as little as Kagami wants to admit it. He seemed to have an obsession with sharp items like knifes and scissors.

"And this," Akashi motioned to the boy with pale blue hair. "is Kuroko Tetsuya. Also known as the Shadow for his almost unnoticeable presence. You will find out soon enough why he is given that nickname. And," he paused dramatically, letting Kagami process the facts. He didn't seem to be taking it too well. "Tetsuya has the highest bounty placed on his head among the six of us. The prize for capturing him alone will make you the richest man in the country."

Kagami _did_ have trouble letting all that sink in. He was rescued by _thieves_ of all people? What's wrong with this place? Why is everyone treating thieves like heroes? And most of all, how can that short, pale boy there be a renowned criminal? He looked like he could hardly even climb a tree, let alone steal something.

"So," Akashi's voice interrupted his train of thoughts. He leaned forward, his heterochromatic eyes glinting in the sunlight. "Before I go on about why I'm interested in you, I want you to tell us about yourself."

_Like hell I'm involving myself with such a dangerous group_, Kagami wanted to protest. He opened his mouth, ready to get those words out, but decided otherwise at the last moment. Akashi looked ready to slice his throat open there and then if he refused to do as he said.

"..I'm Kagami Taiga," he mumbled in defeat. "I'm a traveler from the country of the East. My parents work in a small sweet shop in a town there. I journey all over the place because I'm fascinated by the uniqueness of each country there is."

"But did you have any idea about the current state of this country when you came?" Midorima asked darkly, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Kagami shook his head.

"Which makes my job even easier," Akashi smiled. The rest of the group couldn't help but shudder at the sight.

"W-What do you mean?" Kagami dared himself to ask.

"You see," Akashi laced his fingers, the sinister smile still not leaving his face. "_You_ will play a role in helping us change the fate of this country."


	2. Chapter 2

**WHOOP MY EXAMS ARE OVERRRRRR FASDFASDFA /shot**

**I'm.. late? ;w; My exams just ended Monday, so yeah :I **

**I ACTUALLY MANAGED THIS IN FOUR DAYS. AND I WAS WRITING TWO FICS AT THE SAME TIME. /shot**

**derp. anyways, thank you guys so much for the faves, alerts, and reviews! ;;w;; and thank you for all the support!**

**and Kagami's past is a HunterxHunter reference ouo so yeahhhhhh /kicked**

**KuroBasu is not mine. Excuse my mistakes. Thanks in advance for reading!**

* * *

Kagami found himself surrounded by kids. Lots and lots of kids.

He put his mind to flashback mode. He'd blacked out in the middle of the forest, rescued by a bunch of thieves, embarrassed himself in front of a whole village, and he was told that he would help in changing the fate of a country. And after all the fuss of him denying that he would ever be able to do that and the others trying to calm Akashi down as he threatened to have his limbs torn one by one, Kagami ended up as a freeloader in a small, comfortable home while things get sorted out.

Kuroko obviously never bothered to do some furnishing. Then again, Kagami realized that he probably couldn't afford to even if he wanted, despite him being a thief with a very high bounty on his head and-

"Kagami-kun," a calm voice interrupted his tornado of thoughts. Kagami blinked, snapping back into reality.

"Huh?"

"The kids want to play with you," Kuroko simply stated, his stoic face unchanging. Kagami wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. The country's number one most wanted criminal was _adored_ by kids.

Kagami looked down wearily at the children that had happily assembled around him. He hated kids. They're always so whiny and noisy and attention demanding. And don't even get him started on how he would want to rip his hair off as soon as they start crying their heads off. Kagami grew up as a single child and away from children, and he liked it that way. He wasn't sure if he would be able to restrain himself from losing control and murdering his younger sibling if he ever had one.

He felt someone tugging the side of his pants. He turned and found more than one pair of huge, innocent eyes staring up at him.

"Nee, nee, onii-san," a boy spoke up, practically jumping with curiosity. "How did you become so tall?"

"Hah?" Kagami sweatdropped at the random question. "How should-"

"At least entertain them a little, Kagami-kun," Kuroko chided.

_It isn't my freaking fault I'm trapped here with you dammit!_ Kagami wanted to scream. Instead, he sighed, and focused on how to answer the inquiry directed to him by the kid.

"Are you parents tall as well?" another kid asked.

"..My parents are normal heighted? I guess," Kagami scratched the back of his neck. "I guess what helped me grow this tall was all those years of jumping around."

Kagami hated how all his answers sounded like questions themselves with all those 'I guess's.

"Jumping around?" a girl with messily cut brown hair perked up. "Jumping around where?"

"In the forest," Kagami said simply. "I go there every day ever since I was very young."

That statement raised a chorus of voices urging him to talk about his experiences in the woods. The redhead looked desperately at Kuroko, silently begging him to take this matter out of his hands. But the smaller male only shrugged – somewhat indifferently – and told the kids that it was story time.

Kagami gave him a deluxe I-will-kill-you-later look which he'd casually ignored. Sighing and deciding that he had no choice, Kagami motioned for the happily clapping and cheering children around him to sit down.

"Alright," he said in defeat as he too, plopped himself down in the middle of a ring of kids. "What do you guys want to hear?"

"Are there any times when you got lost?" a voice immediately asked.

"Quite a few," Kagami couldn't help letting the smile spread across his face as he recalled the old times. "The first time was when.."

Kagami talked and talked. He told them about the time when he caught his first fish, when he'd almost slipped into a river several times and got carried away by the current, when he'd helped the people of his town locate a girl that'd attempted to run away but got lost instead. The kids were good listeners, as it turned out. They listened in awed silence, only voicing their opinions and questions once in a while. It was surprisingly fun, reminiscing his younger days like that.

As Kagami paused for a breath after his fifth story, he stole a glance at Kuroko out of the corner of his eye. The pale boy was sitting among the children, a few youngers ones cuddled by his side. Kagami would die rather than to admit it, but at that moment, Kuroko actually looked quite cute. In fact, he looked like a child himself. His face betrayed all signs of expression, but his big blue eyes were shining with interest. Kagami got the feeling that Kuroko had never left this place other than to steal from town.

That made him uneasy, for some reason. The so-called Generation of Miracles were just adolescents like himself, and they were already carrying the responsibility of feeding a village on their shoulders. This shouldn't be right. Why is it that those bastards in town are living in pure luxury when here people are, struggling to feed themselves? The villagers must not be even given a chance to work in the city. It isn't fair.

"_You__will play a role in helping us change the fate of this country,"_ Akashi had said. But how? What could he do? He was rash, and had no talents in making plans. He was clueless in political and economical talk. Kagami knew he should be the last person in the world to be asked to do all this.

"..Onii-chan? Is something wrong?"

Kagami blinked out of his reverie. He figured he must've spaced out for a while. All the kids were looking at him worriedly.

"Eh? Ah, it's nothing," Kagami said, trying for a grin that hopefully doesn't look to forceful. "I was just..thinking about something. So what else do you guys want to hear about?"

"Have you ever loved someone?"

"My parents, yeah."

"I don't mean it like that," the girl who asked was blushing now. She shifted her weight on the wooden floor. "I mean like.._love_ love, you know?"

It took a while, but the gears in Kagami's brain finally started working. "EHHH?"

Everyone – even Kuroko, had their eyes trained on him expectantly. Kagami was sure his face was turning a shade of red that rivalled the colour of his hair. What _is_ with these kids and their random questions!? Seriously!

"U-Umm.." he stammered. "I-I don't think so."

"You don't think so? Why not? Onii-san's tall and handsome and looks really strong. Surely at least a few girls have their eyes on you."

Kagami wasn't going to answer that. He wasn't going to tell them that he'd freaked every girl in his home village out because of his naturally scowling face. He wasn't going to tell them that he was really awkward around females. He _certainly_ wasn't going to talk about love problems with a bunch of kids.

"What about you, Tetsuya onii-chan?" the children turned to the smaller male when they deemed Kagami's silence was too long. "Is there anyone you love?"

Kuroko blinked. He seemed to be taken by surprise by the question. Kagami couldn't help smirking. Karma finally hits!

"..I love my family," Kuroko said after thinking briefly about it. "Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, Akashi-kun, Midorima-kun, Murasakibara-kun – all of them. They're very precious to me. And," he reached out and ruffled a young boy's hair. "I love all of you too."

The children looked at him with eyes of pure adoration. _Well damn him for knowing what to say and how to say it so damn smoothly,_ Kagami thought grudgingly.

"Tetsu-nii's really precious to us too!" a girl said, followed by a chorus of assent.

"I love you too, onii-chan!"

"Don't ever leave us!"

It took Kagami some effort to not let himself be trampled by a stampede of overly emotional children rushing to hug their beloved 'Tetsuya onii-chan'.

"Oi, brats! It's time for you to go and –"

Kagami turned to find a very stunned-looking Aomine at the entranceway. The tanned boy was frozen for about two seconds, before he decided to move again and step in.

"What happened this time?" he mumbled. He glared at Kagami like it was all _his_ fault that the kids are crying and refusing to let go of Kuroko.

Kagami could only shrug.

"It's time for you brats to go back and bathe and get ready for dinner," Aomine barked out after heaving a frustrated sigh. "Your parents are waiting. And let go of Tetsu already, for heaven's sake. You're gonna suffocate him."

There were lots of sniffles and whines and reluctance, but the children finally released Kuroko from their grasp. Kuroko looked unaffected by the sudden lack of air.

"You better go," he told them. "Before your parents start to worry."

"Will we see each other again tomorrow?" a boy asked.

A small smile graced Kuroko's lips as he answered, "Of course."

Slowly, a tidal wave of kids trickled out of the house, all chattering among themselves. Kagami couldn't remember being so energetic himself when he was younger. He wondered if that was good or bad.

"What was _that_ all about?" Aomine asked once the last of the children had gone out.

"Love," Kuroko said, his stoic mask unchanging as he brushed off the specks of dust on his clothes. "They asked Kagami-kun about the person he loves. Apparently, his answer did not satisfy them, so they turned to me."

Aomine wisely decided not to ask further. Instead, he averted his gaze to the said redhead, and threw him a towel.

"Satsuki told me to give that to you," he said, before snorting at Kagami's bewildered look. "Since you'll be practically trapped here until Akashi decides otherwise, we'd prefer you to be bathed and not smelling like shit. And speaking of Akashi, he would want to talk to you again later so I'd suggest you to clean up a bit before that. Tetsu will explain about how things work here to you. I get the feeling you'll be staying for some time."

With that said, he turned on his heels and hurried off into the streets.

Kagami was about to sit there and recall just why the heck was he there again when he heard his name being called. He looked up. Kuroko was standing before him, bending down slightly as he offered him a glass of water. Kagami almost – _almost_ – let out a surprised yelp. When did he move from his spot? And when was he standing there in front of him? He didn't even hear his footsteps, darn it!

"All that talking must have made you thirsty," Kuroko merely said, as if he was used to scaring people out of their skin. Kagami didn't realize just how dry his throat felt until Kuroko brought it up. When was the last time he drank? He accepted the offer, muttering his thanks. Kuroko watched him silently as he greedily gulped down the contents of the glass.

"Where do I put this?" Kagami inquired when he'd finished, setting aside the towel he was given and getting on his feet. When Kuroko opened his mouth to argue, he shot him a look and told him, "I need to move my legs. All that sitting is killing me."

Once again, Kagami wanted to laugh at the irony. The country's most wanted thief was short, pale, adored by children _and_ polite. How much more twisted can this world get?

Kuroko studied his face for a short moment. He then straightened, and said, "Follow me."

The only difference was that Kagami was holding the glass. He heaved a weary sigh. Okay, _okay_. This is Kuroko's home. Let him do what he wants to do.

Kuroko's home was just a small wooden hut, not unlike the one that Kagami woke up in. It was spacious enough to house two people at most. Kagami followed his host deeper into the place until they reached a spot with a small, clean sink. Kuroko stepped aside and let Kagami do the cleaning. When he was done, he directed him to rearrange the glass back into a cabinet placed nearby.

Kagami stayed silent the whole way. It wasn't that he was tired out by all the story telling and all that. He actually wanted to ask a lot; like where were Kuroko's parents, for instance. Or how he'd ended up being a thief. Or why Akashi was seen as their leader. Or why –

"Akashi-kun is actually really kind," Kuroko spoke up suddenly, as if reading his mind on the last part. "He might not look like it, but he was the one who motivated us to keep living. This village might not even exist anymore if it wasn't for him. All of us would've died that year."

Kagami raised an eyebrow, but he did not urge him to say more. Something about Kuroko's tone told him that the current topic was not something he enjoyed talking about.

"So..try not to think too badly of him," Kuroko added, hanging the piece of cloth Kagami had used to dry his hands with on a nail. "No matter how scary he is, he's just doing all this for the sake of everyone here."

Coming from him, Kagami tried believing it. Maybe Akashi wasn't as maniacal as he looked. Maybe he'll just be playing a small role in the whole changing fate of country thing – like act as a bodyguard or something, while the others do the big jobs.

"I'll… I'll try," Kagami said, finding himself unable to meet the other boy's eyes.

"Thank you."

Kagami looked up just in time to see Kuroko smiling. It probably wasn't anything special; just a twitch of the lips, but it was very sincere and radiant. And adorable. Kagami was blushing again. He tried to hide it by running his hand across his face, pretending to wipe of his sweat. He wasn't sure what embarrassed him more; the fact that he was blushing for a guy or the fact that he'd actually thought of Kuroko as cute. Again.

"A-Anyway," Kagami struggled to change the subject. "What did Aomine mean by telling me how things work here?"

There was a short moment of silence before Kuroko spoke up again. "Would you like to go for a walk? I'm afraid explaining would take a while."

**xXx**

Kuroko wasn't much of a talkative kind of guy, but since it was an order from Akashi, he had no choice.

He and Kagami wandered around aimlessly as he made some simple explanations about the history of their village and all that. He showed him the spot where they take their baths (_In a waterfall?_ Kagami had asked. _Yes. There're no fishes there so we don't have to worry about killing them. The water's shallow too, so it's fine, _Kuroko had answered.). He told him about their meal times and bathing times. And he told him about the days when members of the Generation of Miracles would sneak into town and carry out their thievery.

The whole stealing subject seemed to make Kagami uncomfortable, Kuroko noticed. He had nothing to say to that. Kagami wasn't the one who had been desperate to hold on to life. He wasn't the one who grew up with a constant shortage of food. He wasn't the one who never wanted to see a person die of starvation again.

Kagami probably would not understand even if he told him, so Kuroko decided not to waste his breath over it. The redhead didn't ask much either, much to his relief.

"Tetsu-kun~!"

_Oh dear_. Kuroko braced himself as a wave of pink suddenly slammed into him, threatening to squeeze the life out of him. Kagami jumped back, surprised by the sudden ambush.

"Momoi-san," Kuroko said, keeping very still. "Please let go of me. I can't breathe."

"Oops," his attacker released him and smiled in a silly way. "I'm so sorry!"

Kagami stared at the pink haired girl that had just appeared. He did his best to not focus on her ridiculously huge breasts that weren't exactly covered enough by the clothes she wore. She appeared to be really close to Kuroko, though it was hard to tell from Kuroko's constantly deadpanned face.

"Ah!" the girl noticed Kagami for the first time after muttering lines and lines of endearment while rubbing her cheek on Kuroko's. _Seriously_? How could she not notice someone so big? "I guess you're the foreigner Akashi-kun was talking about?" When Kagami shrugged in response, she smiled sympathetically. "I guess it must be hard for you, huh? To be suddenly dragged into all this."

_You have no idea,_ Kagami wanted so badly to tell her.

"Anyway, I'm Momoi Satsuki," the girl said. "Tetsu-kun's girlfriend."

If fate would have it and Kagami were to be drinking something right then, he was sure he would've spit everything back out. Kuroko had a _girlfriend_? He turned to study his face. No way. It's not possible. It's just.._against the law of nature_.

"Momoi-san, I'm not your boyfriend," Kuroko said calmly, but a little wearily. Like they'd gone through this for at least a thousand times. That statement earned him a whine from the mentioned girl, but Momoi seemed to be taking it pretty well for someone who's been rejected straight off like that.

"But you're still the one I love," was all she said before she turned to Kagami. "Oh, and did Dai-chan pass you the towel like I asked him to?"

_Dai-chan?_ Kagami bit back a snort. He is going to have _such_ a good time teasing him later.

"Yeah," he said, struggling to keep his expression poker faced. "He did."

"Good," Momoi huffed. "I'll be going now, then. See you guys at dinner!"

With that, she skipped off and disappeared behind some wooden huts.

Kagami turned to Kuroko, looking incredulous. "Girlfriend?"

"Momoi-san had been having a crush on me since I gave her that flower when we were twelve," Kuroko said. "But it's one sided. I don't love her the way she loves me."

"So..is there someone you actually like?"

As soon as he said it, Kagami blanched. Ugh. So they're back to the whole like/love thing.

But Kuroko only shrugged. "I don't really know any girls our age except Momoi-san, so…"

"I guess we're on the same boat then," Kagami couldn't help letring out a good-hearted chuckle.

Kuroko's lips twitched into a small smile, amused. "Come on. We should clean up. It's almost time for dinner."

**xXx**

Calling the place a village seemed to be an understatement, but Kagami had no idea what to call it otherwise. It was slightly bigger than an average village, but a tad too small to be called a town.

Kagami decided not to bother about that. He ate his dinner of white rice with some vegetables and a small piece of meat in silence. He had taken a bath and had changed into his spare clothes as he waited for his dirty attire to dry. He was at the same spot as he'd met with the Generation of Miracles earlier. He sat by himself in a corner as the said group had a good time chatting and joking around. Momoi had joined them this time. She was happily fussing over how little Kuroko was eating. Aomine was attempting to steal Kise's piece of meat. Akashi seemed amused. Murasakibara held a bowl containing about ten times the amount of rice Kuroko was eating. Midorima seemed to be the only sane person if you ignored the different coloured chopsticks he was using.

Looking at them then, Kagami could almost forget that they were all thieves.

_Just shut up about it already,_ he mentally scolded himself. _Them being thieves is none of your freaking business. You've got no rights to say or do anything._

He was lost in his thoughts when a voice chimed, "Kagamin~! Come join us!"

Kagami blinked. _Kagamin?_ Momoi was the one who had spoken. Kagami was reluctant to accept the offer. He almost felt like an outsider (heck, he _was_ one) and he figured joining them would only make things _really_ awkward.

"Um.." he started to say, but stopped when Akashi trained his eyes on him. Those mismatched orbs almost felt like they're sending a silent threat to him.

Kagami sighed in defeat. What did he do to deserve this? He stood up, and walked over. Kise scooted away to give him some space to sit on. Kagami thanked him and settled down.

As he'd expected, the whole 'family' atmosphere had disappeared as soon as he was there. Silence engulfed them, and Kagami thought it was almost suffocating. Even Momoi, the one that had invited him over, was not saying anything. Kagami had always been the odd one out in his hometown with his family background and all that, but now he really felt like a freak or something. The whole Generation of Miracles were staring at him intently, as if expecting him to say something.

"_What_?" Kagami finally demanded after several minutes of quietness, not able to stand it anymore. "Is there something on my face?"

"..Aren't you going to argue?" Kise asked tentatively.

"_Hah_?"

"I mean, after what happen this afternoon, we were actually assuming that you would go berserk or something," he said in a surprisingly straightforward manner. Kagami thought Kise was more of the 'lots of small talk before main topic' type of guy.

"Err..well.."

"So," Akashi's heterochromatic eyes bore straight into Kagami's blood red ones, cutting off whatever he wanted to say. "Are you willing to help us?"

_What choice do I have?_ Kagami wanted to ask. But instead, he said, "I don't know. If anything, I would like to know exactly what all this is about first."

The shorter redhead narrowed his eyes. The others shifted uncomfortably in place, making no attempt to interfere with their conversation. Kagami held his breath. _Crap_. He really was going to get it now.

"Alright," Akashi said after taking it to consideration. "I suppose I should tell everyone."

The whole group simultaneously resumed breathing. But _wait_. No one else knew what's going on either?

"You should already know about the condition of this country," Akashi started, and paused, looking straight at Kagami. Kagami nodded, confirming that Kuroko had told him about it earlier.

"I want to change it," Akashi continued. "I want to make the government change its system. Peasants like us will no longer have to suffer poverty. We will be allowed to work and gain a living through sweat and tears. I want to destroy the walls separating us from the main city."

He spoke about it such confidence, Kagami actually believed he would be able to do it. But there was one thing.

"And what does this got to do with me?"

Akashi gave him a look like, _Shut up, I'm getting to that part_.

"Our government prides itself on its wealth. They pretend not to know about the existence of this village despite all we've done," he continued, resentment tinging his tone. "They leave us to die and rot. You will help change that fact."

"And.. how?"

"You will be our diplomat. Our representative."

Kagami hoped that was a joke, but Akashi's expression was dead serious.

"You have fulfilled two of the four criteria that I had long ago set for this plan to work," Akashi said, not reacting at all to Kagami's gaping face. "The first one, is that you're a foreigner. The second is that you've found this village."

Kagami gulped. "What's the other two?"

"Diplomacy skills – which, I already assume you don't have, and your decision on whether or not to help us."

Kagami wasn't sure if he should be offended by the first one, but he let that slip. The latter was more important. Akashi was actually _giving_ him a choice. He could say no right there and get on with his carefree life. He could spare himself of all the complications.

But many lives also depended on his decision. Kagami thought of the children at Kuroko's house earlier. All of them looked so thin and frail and weak. He thought of the other villagers he'd seen. They were a cheery lot, but they too, looked weak - like they might just fall anytime and not get up again. And then there were the Generation of Miracles. If Kagami were to say yes, they would no longer need to steal to feed the village. The bounties on their heads could be removed. They could live like normal people.

_And Kuroko would finally get to see the world_, a thought nagged at the back of his mind.

"I.." Kagami hesitated. Should he really do this? Is it worth it?

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko spoke up. "It's fine if you do not want to."

Kagami figured his face must be showing his dilemma pretty obviously since Kuroko actually _said_ something. He casted his gaze around at the group, and with a feeling that he was going to regret it _a lot_ later, he made his decision.

"Alright. I'll do it."

Kagami wasn't sure what kind of reaction to expect. A thump on the back? A curt handshake? A reward? An indulgent smile from Akashi?

But all he got was one sentence from Aomine.

"_I hope you didn't even lay a finger on Tetsu earlier."_


	3. Chapter 3

**This is my fastest update all year. I think /shot**

**Building a relationship from scratch is really challenging ;w; I hope I didn't go too fast with the KagaKuro feels in this chapter OTL. **

**I can proudly announce that I have ran out of ideas. So thou ish warned. The next chappie would probably take a while, and will probably be kinda crappy :I **

**Forget fifteen chapters. I don't think I can even make it to six OTL**

**I'll shut up now. KuroBasu is not mine. Excuse my mistakes. kbyeeee /shot**

* * *

As Akashi went on explaining about what they were about to do, Kagami was liking his decision less and less.

He was to act as a foreign minister (or something) who had incidentally stumbled into the forest on his way to the main city. He sees the condition of the village, and is outraged by his discovery. And in that fit of anger, he storms through the gates, demanding to speak with the people in charge regarding the matter. Since he had zero diplomacy skills, Akashi told him that he and Midorima will prepare a script for him to memorize. Kagami would have to stay behind in the village and practice until he got everything right. Kagami prayed to all gods to bless him with a good memory.

"We have two months to get ready," Akashi finalized. "That's when the Prime Minister would we returning here from his trip to the South. We'll make our move then."

"Prime Minister?" The term sounded foreign to Kagami.

"Yes," Akashi said. "The Prime Minister is the head of this country." He raised his eyebrows. "You mean they don't have one at your place?"

Kagami shook his head. "My country's.. what did my dad call it again?" He scratched his hair. "A _republic_, if I'm not mistaken. We have no kings or queens or governments. We pick our own leaders. It's kinda like an 'anything goes' country, I guess."

The others seemed to be fascinated by their new knowledge. Kagami couldn't blame them. Learning about the country he currently in was strangely fascinating too. That was the whole point of him wanting to travel the world. He wanted to know more of the many places that exist.

"I see." Akashi sounded like he would like to find out more, but he did not say anything.

They ate the rest of their dinner in silence again after that. Until Kagami unconsciously brought up the topic that Aomine had almost started earlier.

"And don't' worry. I did not touch Kuroko." Kagami had a playful glint in his eyes when he looked straight at the tanned boy. "_Dai-chan_."

Aomine visibly flinched, before yelling indignantly; "S-Shut up!"

Kise was the first one to double over laughing. "Aww, Aominecchi's _blushing_!"

"Am not!" But Kise was right. Despite his tan, a pinkish tint could be seen on Aomine's cheeks. "Darn it, Kise! Who's side are you on?"

"What's wrong with calling him Dai-chan?" Momoi demanded, though she was having trouble suppressing a smile herself.

"Nothing," Kagami said, satisfied that he'd successfully wiped that arrogant look off Aomine's face. "It's just a little strange hearing someone call him that."

Meanwhile, Aomine was having a good time swearing in the background.

"You guys are so childish," Midorima retorted with a sigh, adjusting his glasses.

"Ehh." Next to him, Murasakibara was nomming on a candy stick (wherever he got it). "But Mido-chin collects stuffed toys."

Kagami turned towards the source of the conversation, not sure if he heard right. "I'm sorry, but did you just say he _collects_ toys?"

"Those aren't _just_ soft toys," Midorima said in denial. "Those are my lucky items, thank you very much."

"Lucky item?" Kagami was beginning to realize that all the members of the Generation of Miracles were weird in one way or another.

"Midorima-kun has been obsessed with horoscopes and lucky items ever since he accidentally stole a book about it approximately two years ago," Kuroko said, as if that explained everything.

"He goes on rants and gets panic attacks if he doesn't get his lucky item for the day," Kise added. "It's really annoying sometimes."

Midorima shot him a death glare, rapidly losing his calm composure. "Says the idiot who goes announcing his love for Kuroko all day."

"_What_?" Kise latched himself on the mentioned boy's arm. "There's nothing wrong with me loving Kurokocchi!"

At this point, Kagami was starting to doubt Kise's sexual orientation. Kuroko, on the other hand, made it look like it was an everyday occurrence.

"Are you kidding?" Aomine snorted at Kise's statement. "Tetsu is _mine_."

That's it. Kagami officially decided that at least half the Generation of Miracles were gay.

"Foolish children." Akashi smirked, his eyes flashing like a hungry predator's. "Tetsuya belongs to me and _me_ only."

Yep. Definitely gay.

Silence immediately befell the bickering gang. Aomine and Midorima shut up. Kise slowly unwound his arms from Kuroko's and fixed his posture. Murasakibara was still munching on his snacks, completely oblivious to the dangerous air of his surroundings.

"..I don't belong to anyone," was all Kuroko could say to all of it.

Kagami made a mental note to stay as far away as he could from Kuroko.

**xXx**

"So remind me again," Kagami sighed. "Why are the two of you following us?"

Kuroko was bringing him back to their hut after they'd washed their share dishes and whatnot. Kagami felt the hairs on the back his neck stand up as a certain blonde and bluenette stared intently at him from behind.

"Just to make sure you don't taint Kurokocchi's innocence," Kise answered. He made such a ridiculous statement sound so serious, Kagami wanted to laugh.

"There's no need for that, Kise-kun, Aomine-kun," Kuroko assured, glancing over his shoulder as he walked. "I can take care of myself."

"Still," Aomine grumbled. "You can't always be this trusting, Tetsu."

"I'll be alright," Kuroko said. "Besides, my home can't fit so many people."

"It's as if you don't want us there," Kise whined, eyes brimming with tears.

"I didn't say that, Kise-kun."

"Then at least let us stay until the two of you fall asleep or something!"

Kuroko exhaled inaudibly in defeat. Apparently, he'd decided that there was no point in arguing with those two.

"They're like this every day?" Kagami asked, not bothered to lower his voice.

"..Yes," Kuroko said. Wait, was he pouting? "It's really tiring sometimes."

_I can see that,_ Kagami wanted to say, but otherwise kept his mouth shut. The two of them walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence as the duo behind them engaged in a meaningless bicker that probably had something to do with Kuroko. Again. Not that Kagami was interested.

He let his mind wander off. Though all he had to do was memorize some things and act like an important guy, Kagami wasn't confident that he could pull it off. Akashi would, without a doubt, do most of it for him, but he wasn't the one that would be standing before a bunch of old, bored looking men that will probably even deny there's a village in the woods. Kagami was hot-tempered, and had little patience. He was pretty sure he would end up punching them in the face rather than do negotiations.

Kagami tried looking at the bright side. If it goes well, he would be a hero. He would be able to save and change the lives of so many people just by acting his part. He would make his parents and country proud.

Except he _didn't_ want that. He was no hero, and he did not want to be one. For the umpteenth time that night, he wondered why he had made that decision. He'd just started his journey around the world. How the heck did he end up in this mess so quickly?

"Kagami-kun."

Kagami looked down, raising his eyebrows. Kuroko was gently tugging his hand, urging him to follow him somewhere. Kagami noticed that Aomine and Kise were still arguing in the background.

"What about them?" he whispered. Kuroko shook his head, indicating that it was fine. And before Kagami could process most of it, Kuroko made a sharp turn to the right into an alley, pulling him along.

Kagami remembered Akashi saying that Kuroko was also known as the 'Shadow'. He was starting to understand why. Kuroko had an amazingly weak presence. Earlier when they had roamed around the village, Kagami had lost sight of the pale boy at least five times. As a result, he earned himself some very sore sides. Kuroko's finger-jab could be fatal.

Even now as Kuroko led him through the dark alleys and into the woods, Kagami wondered if Kise and Aomine had already noticed their disappearance.

"Don't worry," Kuroko said when Kagami kept on glancing behind. "They won't be able to find us."

"Where are we going?" Kagami asked, baffled. He switched his focus onto the ground to avoid tripping on rocks or whatnot.

"Someplace quiet," Kuroko simply answered.

"They don't know about it?" Kagami guessed. The shorter shook his head, not breaking his steady pace as he weaved his way through the greenery, guided by nothing but the moonlight.

"…Why are you taking me there, then?"

Kuroko did not reply. He kept forging forward, making so many turns that Kagami was starting to feel dizzy. Him felt a little worried about the journey back. He'd already forgotten the way which they'd came from.

Finally when Kagami's legs were actually starting to ache from all the walking, Kuroko stopped. They were near an edge of a grassy cliff. Kuroko released Kagami's hand and walked forward. Kagami's cheeks felt hot as soon as he realized they'd been holding hands the whole way. He hoped the faint lighting was enough to hide the blush that had no doubt risen there.

Kuroko beckoned him to join him. Kagami walked over, took one look at the scenery, and said something really intelligent like, "_Whoa_."

It was something straight out of those fairy tale books Kagami's dad used to read to him when he was still a small kid. A huge lake spread below them; a strangely perfect circle rimmed with big stones and surrounded by trees. The water was as clear as the sky that night. Occasional ripples appeared, caused either by some fish or some kind of insect. The full moon hung low on the sky, casting a reflection on the surface of the lake, along with the thousands of brightly twinkling stars.

"It's like a mirror," Kagami breathed in awe, unable to take his eyes away from the scenery. He was determined to burn the image into his mind.

"I know," Kuroko said softly, plopping himself down on the grass. "This is my favorite spot."

"..Why did you take me here?" Kagami asked again as he followed suit.

Kuroko shrugged. "I'm not sure either." He closed his eyes, letting the gentle breeze caress his face. "It just.. happened."

"Eh.." Kagami regarded him through the corner of his eye.

Forget the lake. Forget the big, round moon hanging in the sky. Kagami never thought he would see something even more breathtaking than the scenery he'd just seen. He was wrong. So very wrong.

Kuroko's pale blue hair was almost white under the moonlight. His long eyelashes casted a shadow across his face, and his alabaster skin seemed to glow faintly. His usually deadpanned expression was now serene and calm. Kagami would rather die than to admit it, but at that moment, his heart skipped a beat. Kuroko was beautiful.

"-gami-kun?"

Kagami blinked, realizing belatedly that he had been staring.

"Ah - um - yeah..?" he stuttered, feeling that stupid blush once again rising to his cheeks. His ears felt warm.

Kuroko had opened his eyes, and he was staring straight ahead. At the lake or at blank space, Kagami didn't know. "Can you.." he hesitated for a second. "Can you tell me more about the country where you're from?"

Kagami's eyebrows disappeared somewhere under his uneven fringe. "I thought you said you wanted silence."

"I said I wanted to go someplace quiet," Kuroko corrected.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"It's not."

"But-"

"It's not, Kagami-kun." Kuroko turned to stare at him with those big, big blue eyes that looked somewhat creepy, yet slightly enchanting at the same time. Kagami felt his resolve to argue crumble.

"You've already heard enough from me for the day," he managed to say. "Why don't you talk about yourself instead?"

Kagami could feel Kuroko's mental shields going up as soon as he said it.

"There's.. nothing much to know about me," Kuroko muttered after a short pause, averting his gaze. Kagami could sense his discomfort about the topic. For some reason, Kuroko really dreaded talking about his life. Kagami couldn't exactly understand why. He decided not to press for an answer. He might lose his temporary home. Or worst. The rest of the Generation of Miracles might hear of it and decide to go on with Akashi's plan of tearing his limbs off one by one.

"A-Anyway," Kagami struggled to keep his tone light. "It's been a tiring day for both of us. Why don't we go back and have a good night's rest?"

Kuroko looked at him incredulously. "Aomine-kun and Kise-kun will be there."

"So?"

"Do you really think they will let you sleep after finding out that you'd disappeared somewhere with me?" he asked, a coy smile tugging the corner of his lips.

_Right_. So Kagami actually forgot about those two idiots.

"Where will we sleep then?" Kagami prayed that Kuroko had no plans on staying up all night.

"Here, of course," Kuroko made it sound like it should already be obvious.

Truthfully speaking, Kagami had no problems sleeping in the open. He'd been doing it since he was old enough to go into forests himself. He was more worried about Kuroko. The weather might be clear, but it could still get chilly later on.

"But it'll be cold," Kagami reasoned. "You sure you'll be okay? Since we don't have blankets and all."

"I've slept here a number of times, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, slowly lying on his back. "I'll be fine."

"We should at least go further away from the edge," Kagami muttered. "I don't want any of us falling off or anything."

But all he received was silence. Kagami turned, and discovered that his companion had already fallen asleep. Kuroko's eyes were closed, and he was snoring lightly.

He must be more exhausted than he looks, the redhead thought to himself, subconsciously watching the steady rise and fall of Kuroko's chest. A huge yawn soon escaped Kagami's lips.

_Well,_ he decided. _I should get some sleep too._

Kagami got on his legs, and as gently as he could, lifted Kuroko off the ground, and placed him just a bit further from the edge of the cliff. Then he too, lay down on the grassy patch of ground.

Kagami closed his eyes, and under the watchful eyes of the stars above, drifted off to a dreamless slumber.

**xXx**

As Kuroko had expected, the two of them were given an earful as soon as they returned the next morning.

Kise and Aomine had darkish bags under their eyes, like they hadn't slept all night. Kuroko got the feeling they didn't. Kise had tears in his eyes. Aomine was fuming. Kagami was trying hard not to throw up. Apparently, the path Kuroko took to return was even more confusing and dizzying in daylight.

And even when a world war was about to break out, Kuroko stayed deadpanned.

"Kurokocchi!" Kise whined extra pathetically, wrapping his arms around his pale friends smaller frame and refusing to let go. "How _could_ you? Why did you leave us behind?"

"More importantly," Aomine growled when all they received was silence. "Why did you have to disappear with _him_?" He pointed at Kagami like he was a rotten piece of garbage.

"And you even spent the night together!" Kise wailed.

A tired sigh escaped from Kuroko's lips. Why did he have to befriend such overprotective and paranoid companions? Sure, they loved him like family and were annoyingly endearing, but they always treated him as if he was some helpless maiden. Kuroko did not want that. He wanted to be independent. He could take care of himself.

And besides, despite the fact that he'd just met him, Kuroko trusted Kagami. He had no idea why. It was strange since he barely even knew him and Kagami had yet to earn their trust. Momoi would have called this 'woman's intuition', but Kuroko wasn't a female.

"Nothing happened last night," he said calmly as he gently pried himself away from Kise's grip. "We only slept together, that's all."

It was the truth, yet it sounded so wrong to the blonde and bluenette's ears. Kise nearly fainted on the spot. Aomine looked like someone had just punched him in the gut. His mouth opened and closed without letting any sound out like a suffocating fish.

Meanwhile, Kagami was trying hard to recover from his vertigo. He swallowed the bile that was threatening to rise up his throat. Throwing up then would be utterly embarrassing. He had a rough enough morning already. Kagami had woken up in Kuroko's secret spot in the forest, alone, the boy himself nowhere to be seen. Kagami had been on the verge of panicking because he knew he would never be able to find his way back alone. And just when he was about to have a mental breakdown, Kuroko had appeared out of nowhere, scaring the living daylights out of him. His hair was in complete disarray like he'd just rolled through the forest for the night. He'd casually wished him good morning as if nothing happened.

Needless to say, it took all of Kagami's willpower to not strangle him right there and then.

Thinking about the night before made Kagami blush unintentionally. The image of Kuroko under the moonlight was still fresh in his mind. He remembered how his heart went off rhythm when he stared at him.

Ugh. Kagami shook his head wildly, as if trying to clear his brain of the cobwebs that had found their way there. He was a healthy guy. He shouldn't be thinking about things like that. Heck, he shouldn't even be having this strange feeling towards a person of the same gender. He must've been _really_ tired last night.

"Oi Kagami!" Aomine's very pissed off voice yanked him back to reality. He was glaring at the redhead like he'd just stepped on his face. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

His accusing tone helped clear Kagami's mind. He returned the glare, scarlet orbs meeting azure ones.

"What have _I_ got to say?" he spat, his tone seething with anger. "Look who's talking."

Aomine narrowed his eyes. Kuroko shot Kagami a warning look, which he ignored.

"What do you think is the main reason Kuroko sneaked off, anyway?" he continued, clenching his fists to keep his temper in check. He _hated_ being accused to something he did not do.

Kise had finally stopped crying, but he was still hanging on to Kuroko like his life depended on it. He stared at Kagami, his delicate eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm saying that the two of you-"

"That is enough," Kuroko interrupted, cutting him off midsentence with a lethal jab at his sides. Kagami yelped in pain and surprise, his hands instantly flying to nurse his assaulted body part.

"What was that -" he started to demand, but stopped short almost immediately. If looks could kill, Kagami figured he would've be dead already. The glare he was receiving from the shorter boy practically _oozed_ Akashi. He wisely decided to shut up.

"Nothing happened between us," Kuroko attested, a faint outline of a vein throbbing near his left temple. "Now would both of you please calm down and lower your voices? It's too early in the morning and you're disturbing the other villagers."

To Kagami's mild surprise, the pair actually did as told. Kise sniffled, unraveling his arms from Kuroko before straightening and developing a sudden interest towards the ground. Aomine harrumphed and crossed his arms, looking away while mumbling something incoherently to himself.

So Akashi wasn't the only one with the killer aura.

"Now if you'll excuse me." Kuroko exhaled once to regain his composure before proceeding to make his way into his home. He reappeared several seconds later with a faded towel in his arms. Without another word, he hurried off towards the direction that lead to the waterfalls.

Which, leaves Kagami alone with two very unhappy guys.

He only had enough time to think '_Uh-oh'_ before a fist landed square on his face.

**xXx**

Seeing Aomine wash the dishes for the entire village after lunch would've made up for Kagami's bad morning and bruised face. Sadly, it didn't. Because there he was, standing side by side with the tanned boy, his hands red and raw from scrubbing countless plates and bowls.

Akashi was definitely not happy to see that big purplish spot on Kagami's left cheek. It ruined the whole 'important person' image. But he wasn't going to let him go just like that either. Not after hearing Aomine and Kise's protest about him disappearing with Kuroko the night before.

Kagami sighed, submerging another plate into the soapy water. So much for being the hero of the country. What kind of 'hero' gets punished with dish duty anyway? And he did nothing too, _sheesh_.

While he robotically cleaned plates after plates, Kagami couldn't help but notice one thing. Not even a speck of food was wasted. The villagers ate their meal to the very last crumb. Kagami supposed it wasn't surprising since they were in poverty until just a few years ago - if he'd remembered correctly. He wasn't complaining though. It made cleaning up a whole lot easier.

"Hey."

Kagami regarded Aomine out of the corner of his eye, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Aomine seemed to hesitate before he could get the words out. "..Sorry. For earlier."

Kagami turned to stare at him in disbelief. "You're _apologizing_?" he asked stupidly.

"Don't get me wrong," Aomine kept his eyes on the dishes. "It's not like I want to. Akashi ordered me to do it." He paused. "And I'm sure Tetsu would have too."

Kagami didn't sense much insincerity from him, so he let that slip. "I'm sorry, too, I guess. For almost losing my temper."

"Losing your temper would've been nice," Aomine mused. "At least that wouldn't make me look so bad."

"So it's all about you, huh?" Kagami scoffed.

Aomine's quick answer caught him by surprise. "No."

"Then?" Kagami couldn't exactly think of another reason.

"Tetsu."

"Huh?"

"Stay away from him."

Kagami was unable to comprehend where the conversation was going. "Eh?"

"Look," Aomine said exasperatedly, temporarily averting his attention away from his task to look at him. "Just.. don't get too close to Tetsu, okay? I, for one, will not forgive you if you take him away from us."

"Take him away -" Kagami was getting more and more confused by the minute. "What the heck does that even _mean_?"

"Just don't," Aomine repeated. Kagami noticed his pleading tone. "Please."

Kagami still failed to understand why he was asked of this so suddenly. But something about the desperation in Aomine's voice, something about seeing an usually arrogant guy looking so weak, _moved_ him. Kagami initially thought it was just some kind of crazy obsession they have towards the boy in question, but he was starting to realize that it far more than that. For some reason or another, Kuroko Tetsuya was very dearly loved by the Generation of Miracles.

"..I won't steal him away from you guys," Kagami promised. "Though I can't really make any guarantees for the 'getting too close' part since I'm freeloading at his place and all."

He thought Aomine's first reaction was to present him another punch in the face, but the tanned boy merely heaved a sigh before breaking into a crooked smile. "I suppose that's fair enough."

"So.. we're good?" Kagami asked tentatively.

Aomine shrugged. "For now, yeah."

"Then let's get back to washing," Kagami suggested. "Won't want Akashi skinning us alive anytime soon."

For once, the unlikely pair came to an agreement. But even when Kagami turned his focus to the dozens of dishes left for him to wash, he couldn't shake the feeling that it will be difficult to keep the promise that he'd just made.


	4. Chapter 4

**This took a lot faster than I thought it would ouo**

**but its still kinda crappy o3o. plot holes. plot holes everywhere /shot **

**I'M SO SORRY I'LL TRY HARDER NEXT TIME PLEASE FORGIVE ME QAQ**

**that moment when I realize that the number of words for each chapter is decreasing OTL I blame it all on a writers' block :I **

**Thank you for all the responses, everyone! :'D Your support is what keeps me going! **

**Excuse my mistakes. KuroBasu is not mine. kbyeee**

* * *

Kagami's life was going well for several days. He hung out with the Generation of Miracles during mealtimes (after being pestered and dragged there by Momoi). They still looked like they were holding a grudge against him for his disappearance with Kuroko, but at least they weren't hitting him. Kagami sometimes stayed at Kuroko's place during the afternoons to entertain the kids that always gather there, and sometimes he would just go wander around the village when he doesn't feel like facing a bunch of noisy children.

After wandering round and round the place for quite a few times, Kagami soon found out that not everything they had were stolen. He had been daydreaming when he bumped into a couple of guys.

"Whoa!" One of them reached out and grabbed his hand before he could fall flat on his butt. "Careful."

He helped Kagami back onto his legs.

"S-Sorry about that," the redhead apologized. "I wasn't looking."

"Clearly," The other boy grumbled. He was the shorter of the two. He had short, black hair and wore rimless spectacles. His companion was a brunette and he was tad taller than Kagami. The difference in air between them was baffling. The specs guy looked really grumpy for some reason. The tall guy had a goofy smile constantly plastered on his face.

"Sorry," Kagami said again.

"Nahh. It's okay," the brunette grinned. "I'm not the smartest guy around, but I'm guessing you're the foreigner we've been hearing so much about?" he asked, taking note of the clothes Kagami was wearing.

"Unless there are others, yeah," Kagami said, shifting his weight from foot to foot. So news about him had already spread. That didn't really surprise him. He'd made himself quite a show on the first day he arrived.

"I'm Kiyoshi Teppei," the brunette said amiably. "And this guy's Hyuuga Junpei." He gestured to his friend, who glowered at Kagami and said, "Yo."

Kagami decided that that face was natural.

"I'm Kagami Taiga," he said, though he was pretty sure they knew that already. The things the duo were holding in their hands caught his eye. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "What are those?"

"These?" Kiyoshi held up a dozen strings of fishes. "Dinner."

"We can't let those cocky Generation of Miracles brats do all the work now, can we?" Hyuuga said. There was a hint of grudging respect in his tone. "They steal things that can be kept. We do our part by hunting for fresh meat and growing vegetables or fruits."

Now that he said it, Kagami vaguely remembered seeing some small orchards and vegetables gardens near certain areas.

"Oi Hyuuga-kun! Teppei!" A female voice sounded. "How long do you plan on standing there and chat? You guys are already late!"

Kiyoshi and Hyuuga tensed simultaneously. Kagami turned to see a slender girl with brown hair standing outside one of the nearby huts. She was shaking her fists in the air, and she looked really angry. Judging by the mentioned boys' reaction, she must be _really_ scary.

"We're coming!" Kiyoshi yelled back, a drop of sweat trickling down the side of his face. He faced Kagami. "Well, that's our cue. See you around sometime."

With that, the two boys turned and hurried off.

"..Hunting, huh?" Kagami muttered to himself, a smile of anticipation tugging the corner of his lips. "Maybe I should ask to join them one day."

His hopes were crushed the very next morning when Akashi presented him not one, _not_ two, but _three_ stacks of paper right after breakfast. Each stack was tied securely with sturdy strings, and they reached up to Kagami's knees when set on the ground.

"Your script," Akashi said, his expression betraying any signs of sympathy. There were faint purplish bags under his eyes though, like he'd spent several sleepless nights to get then done. _Huh_. Kagami thought Akashi was more to the kind of person that orders people to do something rather than doing it himself.

He stared at the ridiculously huge stacks of paper. Suddenly, he was afraid his breakfast would not stay down. "Do we really need _that_ much?"

"There are many possibilities, _Taiga_," Akashi said, making it sound like it should be obvious. Kagami flinched at the way he called him. No one actually referred to him by his given name except for his family. "We have to be prepared everything."

Kagami stared some more, as if willing them to disappear. "I will _not_ be able to memorize all that in just two months," he decided.

Akashi gave him a look that might've been disgust, like, _Isn't there someone else we can use other than this idiot?_

"Just the first stack should be enough," Midorima materialized behind Akashi. When he reached up to readjust his glasses, Kagami noticed that his eye bags were even more prominent than the shorter redhead's. "The other two are just worst case scenarios, but you should read through them just in case."

He made it sound so damn easy. Kagami sighed in defeat. What choice did he have? He had agreed to help knowing that it probably wouldn't be that good for his health. He stood back, and thought of a way to transport the stacks of script back to Kuroko's home. The people before him certainly wasn't offering any help, since they walked off as soon as they finished what they wanted to say.

Kagami let his gaze roam around. And then he caught sight of a mop of blonde hair, and called out, "Kise!"

Kise paused in his tracks and turned, his eyebrows raised. Kagami waved to get his attention. The blonde saw him, and trudged over.

"Yes?" His face was a cold mask, much unlike the one he'd used to greet him the first time they met. Apparently, Kise was still feeling bitter over the disappearing incident.

Kagami hesitated, but another voice argued at the back of his mind. Nothing had happened that night. He had no reason to feel guilty. If Kise was angry at him then that's his problem.

"You free?" Kagami asked, trying to keep a monotone.

"No," Kise answered flatly. "I'm on my way to Kurokocchi's."

"Then we're going the same place," Kagami grabbed his shoulder before he could walk off. "Do me a favor."

Without waiting for his reply, Kagami held up a stack of papers before him. "Help me carry this to Kuroko's place."

Kise was still staring at him with that '_I hate you and don't ever expect me to forgive you'_ look. "Why should I?"

"Because the fate of the country depends on it." Kagami huffed as he dropped the stack in the blonde's reluctantly outstretched hands. He bent down and carried the remaining two in each of his hands. "Now come on. These are heavy."

**xXx**

Kuroko was having a quiet time reading when his house was invaded.

Well, _invade_ wouldn't exactly be the correct term since Kagami lives with him (only temporarily) and Kise tends to visit at the most unlikely hours. What unnerved him was when the blonde stepped foot inside.

Upon seeing his precious friend, Kise's pouting face brightened into a sunny smile, and he promptly dropped the item he was carrying onto the wooden flooring with a really loud thump. Kuroko realized that it was a stack of paper. He silently hoped it wasn't enough to put a hole there. Fixing it would be a bother.

"Kurokocchi!" Kise tackled him into a hug. It's a daily routine, really. "Kagamicchi is bullying me!"

"Kise-kun," Kuroko's voice was muffled under Kise's clothes. "Please release me. My book is tearing."

When Kise pulled back, his eyes were teary. Kuroko's eyebrow twitched slightly as he recalled. "Did you just say you were _bullied_ by Kagami-kun?"

Kise opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say anything, Kagami entered, heaving a sigh.

"Geez," he set down two stacks of paper identical to the one Kise had abandoned on the floor at one corner. "I only asked you to help me carry some things."

He must've heard Kise whining.

"..What are those?" Kuroko inquired, genuinely curious. He made a doggie-ear on the page he was reading and closed his book.

"My script," Kagami answered without enthusiasm.

Kuroko blinked. "All of them?"

"Yep," Kagami did a bad impression of Akashi's voice. "_There are many possibilities, Taiga. We have to be prepared everything._" He made a face, sank down on the floor, and crossed his arms. "What does he think I am? Some kind of superhuman?"

Kuroko's expression didn't change, but he had an amused glint in his eyes.

"At any rate, I suppose I should start memorizing," Kagami exhaled, before reaching out to undo the knot on the strings that tied around the first stack of paper. He pulled the first few sheets free, made himself comfortable, and began to scan his eyes across the contents.

A frown slowly made its way to his face. Having three stacks to read and memorize was bad enough, but Akashi and Midorima had to make it worse with their annoyingly tiny and neat penmanship. Kagami squinted at the words scribbled on t he paper. The sentences were filled with words slightly too complicated for his simple mind. He doubted he could memorize two pages in two months, let alone three whole stacks.

Kise scooted over, his curiosity taking over. He picked up a random piece of document and briefly went through the contents.

"Akashicchi and Midorimacchi really likes to use big words, huh?" he observed, whistling.

"Tell me about it," Kagami grumbled, his eyebrows knitted with concentration.

"I give up," Kise said after facing the paper for about another five seconds. Instead, he averted his attention towards the person he was meaning to visit (or annoy).

"Nee, nee, Kurokocchi?" he said, rocking back and forth with excitement. "You free this afternoon?"

Kuroko had resumed reading. He glanced up at the blonde over his book. "Why?"

"I heard they are having some kind of festival at the city today," Kise said, eyes shining enthusiastically. "So I was thinking maybe we could sneak in together and explore or something?"

He looked at his pale friend expectantly, but Kuroko only shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, Kise-kun. I can't go."

Kise's face fell. "Eh? But why?"

"I'm going there right after lunch with Murasakibara-kun," Kuroko explained. "Apparently, an accident the other day had spoiled at least half of our cooking equipment. Akashi-kun wants us to go get some to replace them."

"Can't Aominecchi go instead?" Kise whined, his mouth set in a pout.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

"You can just go by yourself if you want to see it that bad," Kagami suggested indifferently, not taking his eyes off the text.

"That defeats the whole purpose," Kise sighed dejectedly.

"Go with Aomine, then."

"Aominecchi's the last person you would want to go with to a festival," Kise complained. "He's not the least interested with events like these and is boring to hang out with."

"Then don't go, _sheesh_." Kagami massaged his temples, trying to get rid of the headache that was developing there.

Kise heaved another sigh. "I'm going to rot today."

"Why don't you help Kagami-kun with his script?" Kuroko said, noticing the fact that the redhead was sweating buckets despite the fine weather.

"_Ehh_?" Kise looked like he would rather lick someone's shoe.

"You can't possibly be mad at him for something he didn't do for so long," Kuroko chided lightly. "Besides, Kagami-kun looks like he would need some aid in memorizing all that." He gestured to the papers.

Kagami looked up from his script. "I thought Kise specializes in _copying_ things."

"You need to _remember_ to copy something, you know," Kise muttered. With some effort, he tried to regain his cheery composure. "But since Kurokocchi asked nicely unlike a certain _someone_," he glared at the redhead. "I'll do it."

Kuroko smiled slightly. "Thank you, Kise-kun."

Kise's face brightened a little. He moved a little closer to Kagami. "So. How's your progress?"

"Not good," Kagami admitted.

"Try reading it out loud," Kise said, adjusting his position to get a better look at the text.

Kagami did as he'd suggested. He struggled at pronouncing some complicated words, but otherwise read with a tone that was so flat he might as well be chanting. Kise couldn't resist facepalming. Kuroko kept his eyes glued to his book, but he looked like he was suppressing a smile.

"That was.. _okay_," Kise said when he'd finished. The word 'okay' seemed to be the least harsh word he could use. He was having trouble keeping a straight face. "But try again. This time with more _emotion_."

"Emotion?" Kagami frowned.

"This," Kise huffed and muttered to himself. "Is going to be a _long_ day."

**xXx**

Kagami was left alone with Kise.

Kuroko had left for the city with Murasakibara, so Kagami figured there won't be any kids flooding the place soon. He studied the script again, trying to get at least _some_ of it into his head. At one point, he lost his temper with Kise after being told again and again to use his brain, and had told the blonde, if he was that good, then why don't he try it himself?

Kise did, and almost effortlessly, he memorized half the page with only a few glances. Kagami's mouth hung open.

"As I said, you need to remember to copy," Kise said with a sigh. "You need to see and understand something to reproduce it. So basically, copying is a way of memorizing."

"The problem is," Kagami grunted. "I don't understand a shit about all these." He glared at the stacks of paper with distaste.

"Then you have no choice but to shove it all in your head," Kise said.

"This is going to take forever."

"What choice do you have?"

Kagami looked at him. "For once, you're actually talking sense."

"I don't just sit there and whine the whole day, you know." Kise smiled wanly. "I can use my brains when I want to."

Kagami didn't argue. He saw firsthand how the blonde had memorized half a page without even breaking a sweat while _he_ would probably need a few hours.

They were silent after that, starting conversations only when necessary. Kagami had no idea how much time had passed when he'd finally got the first two pages into his head. Minutes? Hours?

"I won't take Kuroko away," he said suddenly, breaking the tranquil silence that had formed. Kise raised his eyebrows at him and blinked.

"_Sorry_?"

"I won't take Kuroko from you guys," Kagami repeated.

"Ehh," Kise searched for any signs of joke on the redhead's face, but Kagami was dead serious. "How can you be so sure, Kagamicchi?"

"I just won't," Kagami said. "That's what I promised to Aomine."

"After he gave you that bruise?"

Kagami winced, touching the fading mark on his cheek. The bruise had already started to turn yellowish, which was a good sign.

"Yeah," Kagami said after a pause. "When Akashi made us wash those dishes together."

Kise smiled, amused. "You'll have to prove it to us then. The rest of us aren't as easy to convince as Aominecchi."

"I will."

"I'm not so sure about that," Kise muttered wistfully, almost to himself. "You never saw how Kurokocchi _looked_ at you, did you?"

Kagami's face caught the last few words, though barely. He could feel his cheeks growing warm. "What?"

"Nothing," Kise dismissed with a shrug. "Just thinking aloud."

Kagami was certain it was more than that, but he decided not to ask.

"Why is he so important to all of you, anyway?" Kagami blurted out. He belatedly realized that he'd just touched a sensitive topic. "I-If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Kise glared at him so hard that he considered taking back the question. But before he could, the blonde spoke up.

"Kurokocchi probably told you that it was Akashicchi that saved us, right?"

"Huh?" Kagami vaguely recalled the conversation he had with the boy in question when he'd first arrived. "Yeah. I think so."

"I'm not sure about the others," Kise continued, bringing his legs to his chest and hugging his knees. His golden eyes had a faraway look in them. "But the one who held out his hand to me when I had given up on life wasn't him. It was Kurokocchi."

He trailed off. Kagami did not urge him to go on.

"I was the last one to join the Generation of Miracles," Kise went on. "It was about a year after the group was formed. I had just lost both my parents to the plague. I was left alone, helpless, and hungry. I wanted to give up. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't stand the suffering anymore. But he found me," he paused, smiling softly at the memory. "Kurokocchi had knelt down before me, holding out a piece of bread in his hands. He told me to stay strong and live on. I was so surprised that all I could do was accept the bread and eat it." He laughed at the memory.

"And then you joined them as thieves some time later?" Kagami guessed. Kise nodded.

"Part of it was because I owed it to them for saving my life," he explained. "Part of it was because I was tired of seeing people die from starvation and diseases." He stopped, then blinked as if realizing something. "But I've said enough. We should stop wasting time. Akashicchi would want to know your progress tonight, I expect."

Kagami shuddered at the thought. No doubt Akashi would've expected him to have memorized at least half a stack by the time they meet during dinner.

"Time to get serious," Kagami agreed.

And when Kuroko returned, somehow, he wasn't surprised to see the two of them working together like long time friends.

**xXx**

Kagami was declared hopeless, not that he took offense. He knew he had a bad memory.

Fortunately for him, Akashi was in no mood for threats. He and Midorima could hardly keep their eyes open by the time they were half way through dinner. Apparently, the all-nighters they'd pulled off to complete the script had drained them. Akashi began dozing off before Kagami could even finish his report on his progress.

"You should get some rest, Akashi-kun," Kuroko said worriedly.

"For once, I agree with Kuro-chin," Murasakibara said between bites, pulling Akashi towards him and encouraging him to lean on his shoulder. The shorter redhead didn't even complain before he closed his eyes and passed out.

"Midorima-kun too," Kuroko turned to the bespectacled boy. "You look terrible."

"Nonsense," Midorima yawned. "I can stay awake for another night if I have to."

Who could blame him with he fell face first on the ground - practically snoring - about five minutes later?

If he didn't fall so close to the fire, no one would even be obliged to help him up. But since they didn't exactly fancy Midorima turning into a human torch either, Momoi asked (read: ordered) Aomine to drag him out of the way.

Kagami pitied the unconscious guy. But at least his glasses were safe.

When they were done eating, Murasakibara volunteered to carry Akashi back to his home. Receiving no objections, he effortlessly lifted the redhead into his arms, and trudged off. Aomine and Kise were forced to transport Midorima back home by a certain pinkette - which, they did not look too happy about. Momoi herself ran off somewhere right after dinner, probably to go help with something.

Kagami walked back with Kuroko, struggling to stifle a yawn. His head hurt. He felt like he had just overloaded his brain capacity. He probably did. He couldn't wait to reach home and faint right there on the floor.

But living at Kuroko's place wasn't exactly free of charge. For some reason, Kuroko really enjoys listening about Kagami's life. In return for letting the redhead stay, he would ask him to tell him something about himself every night; from Kagami's adventures in the woods, to the stuff they sell at his family's sweet shop. Never anything personal. They'd been using this system ever since the disappearing incident, which meant Aomine and Kise had listened to some of his stories too, since they refused to leave them alone together for the following nights. It suddenly dawned Kagami that maybe that was why Kise was willing to talk about himself earlier.

The redhead sat down heavily on the wooden flooring, exhaling wearily. He leaned against the wall. "So what do you want to hear about?"

Kuroko sat facing him, his pale blue eyes intense and studying. "Kagami-kun is tired," he pointed out.

"Well," Kagami let out a wide-mouthed yawn, revealing a pair of particularly sharp canines. "I can still stay up for one more story, I suppose," he said. "I need to let the food go down a little first anyway."

"Don't push yourself."

"I'll be fine."

Kuroko knitted his eyebrows doubtfully. "Then.. do you have any childhood friends or anyone of that sort?"

Kagami chewed his lip in thought. "There was one person," he began. "His name is Himuro Tatsuya. He's a year older than us, and he was like a brother to me."

He paused, trying to decide what else to say. "He was my neighbor back then. I was seven when I met him. I was asked to deliver some custom ordered goods to his place, you see. He was one of the very few people who were willing to befriend me despite knowing about my family background. We started hanging out together and became really close." Kagami sighed. "But I haven't seen him in a while now. His family moved to another country three years ago."

Kuroko tilted his head slightly and asked softly, " Do you.. miss him?"

"..Yeah." Kagami took in a deep breath. "I miss him a lot."

He didn't realize just how much he wanted to meet his surrogate brother again until that moment. Nostalgia washed over him, making his heart sting. But Kagami couldn't afford to choke up. Not in front of someone.

He heard Kuroko standing up, and before he knew it, the shorter was squatting in front of him. Kuroko was so tiny compared to Kagami, that even when both of them were on the floor, he had to look up to meet his eyes. He reached out, and patted his head gently.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Kagami raised his eyebrows at him. "What for?"

"For asking," Kuroko said, a tinge of guilt in his voice. "And for everything."

"Meh, it's no big deal," Kagami said, trying for a smile. It was surprisingly hard. "You can't have everything forever. We just.. have to accept changes."

Great. He faltered at the last few words. Kagami _hated_ himself for that. He didn't want to look weak. He didn't want to go back on the choices he made. He definitely did not want anyone pitying him over small matters like this.

But the stress was beginning to get to him. Even more so now that he'd been given an almost impossible task to complete within a short amount of time. Kagami felt suffocated even when he was not confined. He used to have a gigantic appetite, but could only stomach about half the amount now. He was starting to doubt himself too, always wondering if he really could do it and save so many people.

Kagami figured it must've shown in his face, because Kuroko said once more; "I'm sorry."

"Stupid," Kagami muttered. "It's not your fault at all."

Kuroko did not meet his gaze. Kagami felt a smile tugging the corners of his lips. Kuroko was just so strange sometimes. Kagami lifted his hand, and flicked his finger on his forehead.

"Don't look like that," he said when the pale boy stared at him questioningly. "That expression doesn't suit you."

Kuroko stared at him some more in stunned silence, before breaking into a soft smile himself. "I could say the same for you, Kagami-kun." He retracted his hand. "A sad face doesn't suit you."

Kagami blinked, feeling color rising to his cheeks. His heart did an involuntary leap as it always did every time he sees his companion smile. He really _liked_ that smile. Probably a lot more than he should. To add to his embarrassment, he noticed that Kuroko was blushing faintly as well.

"We.. should sleep," Kagami said, anxious to change the subject. He prayed his face wasn't as red as he thought.

"..Yes," Kuroko agreed, standing up. Kagami watched as he made his way to the other side of the room, and retrieved his pillow. His gaze flickered away when Kuroko lowered himself on the floor, facing his guest.

"Good night, Kagami-kun." His voice was barely audible, but Kagami heard it.

"Ah," Kagami too, lay on the floor. Another yawn escaped his lips. "Night."

He closed his eyes, but all tiredness had left him. Instead of finding sleep, Kagami found himself staring at the smiling face of Kuroko Tetsuya behind his closed eyelids, as if the image had been permanently burnt there.


	5. Chapter 5

**First of all, 100 FOLLOWS? YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOME I WANT TO CRY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE RESPONSES! **

**anywayyy I had this monstrous writers' block for more than a week :I. ****which, resulted to this particularly weird and boring chapter OTL. **

**OH GOD HELP ME.**

**and I wanted to write something for KuroKaga day too ;;w;; but I don't think I can make it in a day (its the already 9th over here). **

**OTL OTL. **

***sigh* ah well. I guess I shouldn't waste your time with my rants ;w; Excuse my mistakes. KuroBasu isn't mine. Thank you so much for reading! ;;A;; **

* * *

Kuroko was running.

His breathing was heavy and labored. His lungs screamed for oxygen. His legs felt like they were burning. But he couldn't stop. Those hands would catch up and grab him. Then he would be forced to endure all his worst nightmares again. He mustn't stop.

Everything else was so dark. The lighted path went on forever. It was as if he was running around in circles. Maybe he really was. He didn't care. As long as he could distance himself from those wretched hands. He will be fine. He just had to keep running.

Darkness engulfed him, and Kuroko suddenly found himself falling. He fell, too stunned to scream, too surprised to even let out a sound, into an endless abyss. His hands grabbed the air, desperate to cling on to something - anything. He was about to hit land, he could feel it. Twenty meters. Fifteen. Ten. Five. Three…

Kuroko jolted upright, eyes wide, drenched in sweat. His heartbeat was crazy. He couldn't breathe. Why was it so hard to breathe?

_Calm down_, he told himself. _It's just a nightmare. Calm down._

Kuroko inhaled shakily. His heart rate gradually returned to normal. He could breathe again. He turned and gazed outside his open window, looking at the crescent moon that was the sole source of illumination for the village at night. It casted a faint, almost eerie light across the small wooden huts. Other than the sound of crickets and some other insects and some very confused birds, the village was dead silent.

Kuroko raked his hand through his already mussed up hair and sighed softly. It's _that_ dream again. He had been having it ever since that incident. He _loathed_ that dream. It made him weak. It threw him off balance, making him feel jittery and scared for no reason. And it messed with his breathing. He _liked_ breathing without difficulty.

A particularly loud snort jerked Kuroko out of his thoughts. He turned, and his attention automatically fell on the redhead sleeping across the room. Kagami turned on his side, and continued snoring.

Kuroko blinked. There he was, dreaming of a nightmare he'd been having since as long as he could remember, and there Kagami was, sleeping without a care in the world. Kuroko wanted to laugh from the irony, but he couldn't bring himself to feel bitter about it. There was no point. Kagami had troubles of his own, he knew.

Kuroko hugged his knees, and leaned his head sideways against them. He gazed absently at Kagami's moonlit figure, and wondered how exactly did he get attracted to someone like him. It had been completely unintentional. There was nothing that special about Kagami. He was tall, yes. But his looks were only average (thanks to that almost permanent scowl), and so were his brains. He wasn't a genius like Akashi or Midorima. He probably wasn't even as strong and agile as Aomine.

And to top it off, he was a male, just like Kuroko.

Yet, he couldn't help it. Kuroko couldn't help taking a liking to the boy. Sure, he wasn't perfect and he was the same gender as him, but Kuroko overlooked those flaws. He focused on his good points instead.

Kuroko admired Kagami for his courage. He was an expert in observing people, and he saw how scared Kagami had been when Akashi asked for his help. He saw the fear and anxiety in his eyes. But he had not backed down. Kagami had steeled his nerves, and agreed to help them after hearing about the village's history.

Kuroko respected Kagami's headstrong and honest personality. Kagami had not given up despite Akashi's torturous amount of script he was forced to memorize. He had admitted that he could not do it instead of demanding for a shorter script or something. Kuroko was actually expecting him to run off one night and abandon them ever since he said he would help. Kagami never did. He would stay, and every night, Kuroko would know a little more about the person freeloading in his home.

Kagami never insisted to know more about him, and Kuroko liked him even more for that. He felt he was being unfair too. But Kuroko could not bring himself to talk about his past. Not yet.

He was too scared.

Two months. That's the longest Kagami would stay. And then he'll resume his journey around the world, leaving this village and its people behind. A little part of Kuroko wanted to follow him. He had always longed to experience a normal life without him having to risk stealing from the city, without all the responsibilities as a member of the Generation of Miracles. Without the bounty on his head. If Akashi's plan were to succeed, he could achieve all of that. He could be free.

There's no harm in being just a little selfish, is there?

Another sigh escaped his lips. This was why he hated nightmares. He tended to wake up in the middle of the night and end up thinking about lots and lots of things until he loses track of time. He preferred to just go with the flow. He will do what he needs to do when the time comes.

Kuroko plopped himself flat on the floor, hugging his pillow_. I should try and sleep,_ he decided. He stole one last glance at the redhead before he could start his attempt, and just like many times before, his heart skipped a beat. His stomach felt funny. Was this.. _love_? He didn't know. Part of him did not want to find out. He did not want to realize that he loved a person that was going to leave him.

Kuroko buried his nose in his pillow, inhaling its familiar musty scent. He then closed his eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

**xXx**

It was a _depressing_ morning. The weather was humid and moist. Clouds the color of ash shielded the sunlight.

Kagami woke up feeling suffocated, and _very_ uncomfortable. He hated this kind of weather. It made him feel all sticky and lethargic. He frowned as he gazed out the window, glaring at the sky with distaste, willing that stupid gigantic cloud to get blown off somewhere.

"Good morning, Kagami-kun."

Kagami yelped in surprise, his attention snapping towards the entrance of Kuroko's home. The pale boy himself stepped in, his expression as stoic and emotionless as ever. He held two steaming mugs in his hands.

"Could you stop doing that?" Kagami protested, a vein throbbing at his temple. He could never get used to Kuroko's weak presence. "I might just die from heart attack one day, jeez."

"Sorry," Kuroko said. Whether he meant it or not, Kagami couldn't tell. Kuroko walked over, and handed him a mug. "Here."

Kagami raised his eyebrows in a silent question, but he took the offer anyway.

"Akashi-kun says it's going to rain soon," Kuroko said, as if that cleared everything.

"And.. so?" Kagami couldn't help asking.

Kuroko regarded him with those big blue eyes of his. "Unless Kagami-kun wants to eat under the pouring rain.." he trailed off.

"Okay, okay. I get it," Kagami said, getting the message. He sighed, before eyeing the stuff Kuroko had presented him with. The mug was filled with a thick, brown colored liquid that smelled wonderful. Kagami took a sip.

"Chocolate," he muttered, instantly recognizing the flavor. He knew that taste anywhere. He spent his childhood sneaking the very same thing from the small refrigerator in his family's sweet shop. The thought of it made him nostalgic, and he worked to hide it. Kagami wasn't going to go all weak and emotional again.

"Murasakibara-kun made it," Kuroko said, plopping himself on the floor. Kagami caught a glance at his drink. Kuroko's was white.

"Milk?" he asked, pointing. "Or vanilla?"

"Vanilla." The pale boy took another sip, savoring the taste before swallowing.

"Murasakibara is surprisingly good in making these," Kagami noted, emptying his mug in several big gulps.

"Mn." Kuroko nodded in agreement. "He even helps out in the kitchen sometimes."

"Really?" Kagami mused. He stood up, heading towards the sink. "I didn't think he could go into a kitchen without banging on something and generally causing chaos."

"He's not that clumsy, despite his size," Kuroko assured, mumbling into his mug.

Kagami shrugged, hanging the clean mug on one of the nails hammered on the wall. "Whatever. So what are we going to do now? Stay at home until it stops raining?"

"We'll have to," Kuroko said. "It's going to be quite a storm."

"Well," Kagami walked towards the exit of the hut. "I might as well get some fresh air before that happens."

As if on cue, thunder rumbled in the distance. There was a light pitter-patter as the first drops of rain hit the roof of Kuroko's home. By the next thunderclap, the rain was pouring.

Kagami cursed his big mouth. He retreated back inside, wiping rainwater from his face with the back of his hand.

"What am I going to do?" Kagami groaned.

"You can continue with your memorizing," Kuroko suggested, setting his unfinished drink on floor. He stood up and went to rummage for his book.

"No way," Kagami said. The thought of him having to face that stack of papers from morning to night was enough to make him shudder. "I don't want to lose my sanity yet."

"Then what do you plan on doing?" Kuroko had settled down in a comfortable corner, book in his hands, mug at his feet. He'd lighted a candle to provide some illumination for him to read. "We probably won't be able to go out until dinner," he said, gazing outside the window.

"I don't know," Kagami said exasperatedly. "Go back to sleep?"

"Be my guest," Kuroko muttered half-heartedly, already absorbed in his book.

Kagami had a sudden urge to point out the pun in that statement, but he kept his mouth shut. He heaved a deep sigh, and headed back to his spot. He sank down on the floor, lay on his back, and folded his arms behind his head. He stared absently at the ceiling, listening to the constant static-like sound of the downpour outside. Thunder occasionally boomed in the distance, and lightning flashed every now and then.

Neither Kagami nor Kuroko said a word for a long while, and both were fine with it. Kuroko preferred reading in peace, as it helped understanding the story better. He often had to end up rereading some pages after being bothered by a _certain_ group of people. Kagami, on the other hand, need de-stress a bit, and spacing out seemed to be a good way to doing it.

After Kuroko's warm vanilla drink had long gone cold, Kagami heard something that sounded alien to his ears after god-knows how long of listening to the sound of rainfall. It was the sound of hurried footsteps on wet ground, along with the sound of muffled arguing voices. Kagami used his elbows to push himself upright, in just time to see a big cloth-wrapped figure stumble in through the entrance.

Kagami scrambled back in surprise, for he was pretty close to the front door. Even Kuroko looked up from reading, caught off guard.

A tanned hand reached up and pulled the drenched sheet away, revealing one very pissed off bluenette, and one whiny blonde that looked equally not amused.

" Next time, Kise," Aomine grunted. "You are not dragging me around, under a cloth, and braving a storm. I _swear_ I will murder you."

"And who's fault do you think I'm soaking wet now?" Kise argued back. "You're taking responsibility if I catch a cold, Aominecchi!"

"Just go to Midorima or something if you really do," Aomine snorted. "And don't forget to ask him to fix that stupid brain of yours while he's at it."

"_I'm_ stupid? Says the person who can barely even read!" Kise snapped back.

The two boys were practically nose to nose when Kuroko spoke up, his tone ice cold. "Both of you, you're dirtying my home. Please calm down and dry yourselves." He shot them a glare that could kill. "Or you'll be standing outside until the rain stops."

There it is again, Kagami noticed. That Akashi aura Kuroko was emitting. It was scary, how the pale boy could do that.

Aomine and Kise flinched visibly and immediately stopped quarrelling. They fearfully avoided meeting Kuroko's gaze as they made their way towards the cabinet near the sink. They each pulled out a dry cloth, and rubbed themselves dry. Kagami did them a favor by helping them hang the dripping wet sheet that they'd brought in with them.

"..I'm so sorry, Kurokocchi," Kise dared himself to speak up after successfully drying his hair. "For suddenly barging in like that."

"Yeah," Aomine hung his towel on his neck. "Sorry for that, Tetsu."

Kuroko glared at them some more. Then his expression softened, and he heaved a small sigh. He just couldn't stay mad at them. "Its fine. Why are the two of you here?"

"To make sure you're not alone with him for a whole day," Aomine pointed at Kagami - who, let out an indignant "_Hey_!". "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't even have bothered to follow Kise and get myself soaked from head to toe."

"And also," Kise chimed in, rapidly recovering from his regretful mood. "Do you guys know what this kind of weather means?"

When he got blank stares, he huffed in disbelief. "You mean you really can't guess?"

"Sleep?" Aomine said, stuffing his pinky finger into his ear.

"No." Kise's voice dropped to a sinister tone. "Ghost stories."

His gaze flickered around, studying the reaction he got. Kagami paled visibly. Aomine began sweating profusely. Kuroko was still pokerfaced.

"G-Ghost stories..?" Kagami stammered in a small voice. "It's like, the _middle_ of the day. Aren't ghost stories better told at night?"

"Yeap, it is," Kise answered cheerfully. "But who cares? I mean, this condition is perfect! Its dark and there's lightning and thunder around."

It was unusually dark that morning, Kagami noticed with a start. So dark, that it was unnatural.

"Don't tell me you're scared, Kagami," Aomine teased, smirking.

"You're shaking too, Aomine," Kagami retorted.

Aomine laughed nervously. "Scared? _Me_? No way."

"Want to bet?" Kagami said. "First one to scream will have to do the other's share of dishes for a week."

"You're on." Aomine sneered.

"So.." Kise said, glancing at Kuroko. "All in favor?"

Kuroko's face was still deadpanned, but his eyes had this gleam in them. He seemed to be exceptionally keen to find out who would scream first.

"I'll take that as a yes, then." Kise grinned. "Alright, Kurokocchi! Let's light some candles."

**xXx**

Aomine was not the type to freak out easily. He'd been stealing things from homes and stores alike under risky conditions since as long as he could remember. His hobby was catching all kinds of weird wriggly insects - mostly with more than three pairs of legs. He had no problem diving into a river that was so deep it reached up to his neck just to catch that big fish he had an eye on. He could even stand up to Kuroko's 'Akashi mode' episodes once in a while (the original Akashi was out of question, though).

But _ghost stories_? For once, Aomine's confidence wavered. He grew up with death surrounding him, and hearing stories about the existence of lingering souls does not exactly make him feel at ease. He had too many regrets about the past. There were so many people he couldn't save in time. Knowing that some of them might just still be somewhere out there was.. frightening.

Not that Aomine was going to admit it out loud. He was starting to regret slightly about making that stupid bet with Kagami. But, hey! It was that or admit that he was afraid of ghosts. Aomine wasn't ready to throw away his pride just yet.

"..and in that choking darkness, a pair of red eyes glowed to life, unknown to the poor girl." Kise was saying. He paused for effect. "The girl kept walking into the seemingly endless corridor, having a nagging thought that she was being followed. But every time she looked back, there was no one there. And just when she turned to take another step, a hand shot out, and grabbed her ankle. The terrified girl fell, and was dragged screaming into the darkness."

Lightning flashed outside right then, completing the effect.

"How was that?" Kise asked, looking around to see the response he got. Kuroko did not look particularly shaken up, but it was difficult to tell since he rarely shows any expressions on daily basis. Aomine looked several shades paler, and he seemed to be barely holding in a scream. Kagami, too, did not look to good. His eyes were three times wider than usual.

"Not bad, eh?" Kise beamed, satisfied. "Kurokocchi's next."

"Go easy on us, Tetsu," Aomine gulped.

"Getting scared already, _Dai-chan_?" Kagami said smugly, having trouble keeping his voice from quavering.

"Don't tell me _you_ are, _Kagamin_," Aomine returned, baring his teeth in a feral grin.

Kuroko cleared his throat politely, stopping the two idiots from engaging in a meaningless quarrel that could probably go on forever. "If I may."

"Go ahead," Kise urged. "I bet Kurokocchi's story would be insanely creepy!"

As it turned out, Kuroko's story was _more_ than creepy. It was, utterly _traumatizing_, mostly because of his clever large-eyed eye contacts, his stoic face and toneless voice - along with the weather. When he'd finished, Kagami and Aomine were practically in each other's arms, scared out of their wits. Kise was hugging a pillow like it would save him from any spirits that might be sitting around, waiting to ambush them any time.

"They said the boy still roams the forest every night," Kuroko summed up. "If you ever hear something being dragged across the forest floor, it will probably be him coming after you, demanding the return of his eternally lost legs."

A gust of wind blew in through the opened windows, extinguishing the candle flames. Kise screamed, immediately latching himself to his pale friend's side. The other two occupants of the wooden hut were hyperventilating.

"H-H-Hey, Aomine?" Kagami said, his fear obvious in his voice.

"W-What?" Aomine was rapidly losing his composure as well.

"Let's call this a draw." Kagami swallowed. "I don't think I can handle another story."

He was expecting the tanned boy to laugh at his face, but all Aomine said was, "You know what, me neither. I give up."

**xXx**

The good thing: the rain stopped several hours later. The bad thing: they missed lunch.

Kagami willed himself not to complain. He knew missing one or two meals was probably nothing to the villagers that had endured poverty in the past. Still, his stomach had other plans. It growled so loudly, Kagami just wanted to die from embarrassment.

Kagami sighed as he stepped outside, inhaling the fresh scent of after rain. It felt good to be outside after staying indoors for more than half the day. Puddles of water decorated the ground here and there. Dragonflies darted around in the air. Somehow, the place seemed extra peaceful after that raging storm.

_And_ that ghost story session.

Kagami shook his head, pushing the thought away. He wasn't going to think of a forest ghost - not when he's going to resume his journey after all this is over. He looked around, wondering what he should do. Kuroko had ran off somewhere with Aomine and Kise, so he figured he won't be seeing them for a while. He had no problems with that. He wasn't in the mood to face a bunch of kids again, anyway. He didn't want to see that bunch of papers with words either. He needed to get his blood flowing and clear his mind. Kagami wasn't sure if he could summon enough concentration of chuck more text into his brain.

The redhead scratched his head, thinking. Should he take a bath? He was pretty sure he was smelling quite bad since he'd missed his morning wash up. He took an experimental sniff on his sleeve. _Ugh_. He smelled like he'd been rolling in mud for a day or two. Without another thought, he grabbed his borrowed towel and spare clothes, and headed towards the waterfalls.

…

At least dinner was early.

But the food served wasn't filling, much to Kagami's despair. The kitchen staff had only managed to whip up some porridge with bits of vegetables and some eggs. For the first time since he arrived at the place, Kagami's stomach demanded for seconds.

"Don't eat so fast, Kagamin," Momoi chided when she saw him wolfing down his food like he hadn't eaten in months. "You'll choke or something."

Kagami mumbled something incoherent with his mouth full as response. Midorima shot him a disapproving look, which he'd promptly ignored. Akashi glared at him, his expression unreadable. Murasakibara looked like he understood how Kagami felt. The others minded their own business.

Kagami swallowed the food in one huge gulp. "I'm still hungry.." he muttered. Really, if he could eat his metal plate, he would. He was _that_ starving. But unfortunately, the villagers had a policy of not asking for another serving during meals. You would have to make do with what you originally got. Kagami did not see that as fair at all, considering the size of that bowl Murasakibara was using.

"You can have some of mine, if you want," Kuroko offered.

"You're already eating so little, Tetsu," Aomine protested before Kagami could do the same. "You won't grow any taller if you don't eat up."

Kagami could tell that height was a sensitive topic for Kuroko. The pale boy was silent after that, a slight - barely noticeable - pout on his lips.

"Nahh. I'll survive," Kagami said to his earlier offer, adding an inaudible 'hopefully' at the last part of the sentence. "But thanks anyway, Kuroko."

After the heavy rain, the night was not any warmer. Out of curiosity - and possibly boredom - Kagami shifted his gaze around the area. Villagers were everywhere; huddled around small bonfires to warm themselves up. Some younger children were snuggled comfortably under faded blankets. Families held each other close.

Kagami averted his attention back to where he was. Even the Generation of Miracles were not immune to cold, as inhuman as they seem. They were sitting so close to the fire, Kagami thought his eyebrows would singe off.

"Taiga."

The redhead turned to the person that had just spoke. His eyes met the mismatched ones of Akashi Seijuuro. Akashi looked calm and scary for someone that had passed out halfway through dinner the night before. The flames casted a strange orangey glow across his features, making him look like a deity of revenge or something of that kind.

"What?" Kagami raised his eyebrows.

"How's your memorizing going?" he asked. He might as well be asking about the weather.

"Err.." Kagami hesitated. He'd attempted to memorize a little more of his script after his bath, but it wasn't too successful. "So-so, I guess?"

Akashi studied him. An amused smirk slowly crept its way up his face. "Should we do some simple role-play tonight, then? Since I've got some time on my hands."

Kagami gulped. "R-Role-play?"

Midorima sighed tiredly. "Really. Did you really think the government officials would just sit there and listen to you rant all day?"

"Umm.. no?"

"Exactly." Midorima adjusted his glasses before shooting the redhead a glare. "They will ask questions. Lots of them. Probably demanding for proof and all that. You'll have to learn to answer."

_Great_. More things to do. Kagami could feel himself beginning to sweat despite the chilly temperature.

"Well then," Akashi's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Let's start."

**xXx**

Kagami covered his face with his hands as he walked.

God, _that_ was embarrassing. Akashi did not show any mercy at all - though, most of his inquiries are simple questions that demanded simple answers. Still, Kagami felt bullied. He couldn't take it seriously now matter how hard he tried, for one thing. Imagining Akashi as a grumpy old man is kinda hard. Akashi was way scarier.

Which, was the main reason why Kagami's replies were unsure and had no confidence. Every question Akashi asked sounded more like a dare or threat rather than a proper inquiry.

"You're going to trip on something, Kagami-kun," Kuroko warned at his side. Kagami removed his hands and heaved a weary sigh.

"This is never going to work out.." he complained. He couldn't help it. This whole thing was pushing him to his limit. Fast. "Eh? Kuroko?"

Kuroko had suddenly stopped in his tracks. His blue eyes stared right ahead, wide. His shoulders had stiffened. Kagami looked up, and realize that a person was standing before them, blocking their way. He was tall, and had messy pale blonde hair and dark gray eyes. His features were set in a smirk.

Kuroko could barely keep his voice from quavering when he finally found the courage to speak.

"..Haizaki-kun."


	6. Chapter 6

**So I made it to the sixth chappie ouo **

**THANK YOU LORDDDD /shot**

**aherm. so.. umm yeah. I restrained myself from asking for idea suggestions in the past few chapters, but I am proud to say that my brain has practically been juiced of ideas. therefore, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME HELP ;;w;; PLEASE PM ME FOR SUGGESTIONS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! **

**so Haizaki has showed up. I'll have to admit that I'm still not sure what I should do with him later lol /shot**

**ah well. Excuse my mistakes! KuroBasu isn't mine. Thank you so much in advance for reading! **

* * *

Kuroko's range of expressions was not wide. Kagami could count the little he saw with his fingers. He'd seen the boy contented, angry, anxious, and perhaps even a little sad.

But never had he seen him _this_ scared.

Kuroko looked terrified, almost like a cornered prey that knew his end was coming. His blue eyes were wide, and he was clenching his fists so hard that he shook all over - though it was barely visible. He looked like he was about to dart away from there that very moment. Even his usually monotonous voice quavered when he spoke.

"I see that you've found yourself a new bodyguard, Tetsuya," the person whom Kagami had come to identify as Haizaki, drawled. There was something in his tone that sounded really disturbing. Kagami felt a sudden surge of protectiveness towards Kuroko.

"Who are you?" Kagami asked, narrowing his eyes. He dared himself to step forward, putting an arm over Kuroko's shoulders. The shorter boy did not protest.

Haizaki's gaze fell on him; cold, dangerous, and not very amused. "And why does it concern you?"

"Look, I know this is not my problem," Kagami started, trying hard to sound brave. It was ridiculous, to be afraid of someone shorter than himself. "But-"

"It's alright, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, cutting him off midsentence. His voice was tight. "This is Haizaki Shougo-kun. He's.. an old acquaintance of mine."

He sure doesn't look like it, Kagami wanted to point out. But he gritted his teeth, and kept his silence.

"See? Listen to him," Haizaki said. "No need to be all hostile and all that. We know each other."

"Why did you come back?" Kuroko said, his voice a barest whisper. He still sounded very scared. Kagami kept his arm over his shoulder.

"Oh, just to visit," Haizaki said, airily. "There isn't anything wrong with me coming back home once in a while, is there?"

He met Kuroko's eyes and grinned, despite understanding the message the boy was trying to send through his glare.

"Which reminds me," he added, turning to Kagami. "I haven't seen you around here before. And you look much too old to be younger than us. You're not from this village, are you?"

The redhead snorted. "And why does it concern you?"

"Quoting me, huh?" Haizaki chuckled. There was an edge in it, as if he would be happy to gut Kagami anytime. "Fine. Don't answer me."'

"Haizaki-kun," Kuroko spoke up warily. "If you're here to visit, then perhaps you should go inform Akashi-kun about it."

It sounded more like a dare than a suggestion.

"Nahhh. Wouldn't want to bother him this late," Haizaki replied dismissively. He reached out, and ruffled Kuroko's hair, ignoring the way the smaller boy flinch under his touch. "And I'm leaving now, anyway. See ya around."

Kagami kept his glare at him until he was out of sight. Something about that person bothered him. Haizaki had this menacing air around him that was unnerving. It was different from Akashi's. Akashi gave out an air of harsh authority, something like '_Obey me or die_". It was controlled, dangerously calm. But Haizaki's was more like a wild animal's: vicious, uncontrolled, deadly. Kagami somehow got the feeling that he would never hesitate to hurt someone just to make things go his way.

"..Kagami-kun."

Kagami blushed, realizing that his arm was still over Kuroko's shoulder. He stuttered an apology and retracted it, looking at the shorter boy with concern. Kuroko still seemed to be really shaken up. Kagami couldn't help wondering what happened between them in the past. What could've happened to make Kuroko, someone who's so darn good at hiding emotions, so _scared_?

"..You okay?" Kagami asked tentatively. He realized belatedly just how lame that question was. Of course he's _not_ okay!

Kuroko took in a shuddering breath. "I.. Yes." He closed his eyes, and inhaled a few times more to calm his nerves. "I have to find Akashi-kun."

"I'll wait for you back at your place?" Kagami asked. He wasn't really keen on seeing the shorter redhead at the moment.

"No." Kuroko's quick answer surprised him. He looked at his companion pleadingly. "Please. Come with me."

Kuroko hated how pathetic he sounded. When was he this weak? When was he so much of a coward? But he couldn't help it. His legs were quaking. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might just stop. Seeing Haizaki again was worst than dreaming of that stupid nightmare. At least nightmares don't come true.

Kagami blinked at him, bewildered by his sudden request. Kuroko couldn't blame the boy. Kagami never knew _this_ side of him.

"Well.. I don't exactly want to see Akashi's face right now," Kagami started, scratching the back of his neck.

Kuroko could feel his spirits falling. _No. No. No. Don't leave me alone. Not now. No. Please, no._

"But I guess I could just stand outside while you go in," Kagami finished with a shrug. He turned to the shorter, and flashed him an assuring grin. "What are you making that face for? Did you really think I would let you go by yourself after seeing your reaction to that guy?"

Kuroko could've hugged him right then, but he kept his control. He smiled his thanks, and turned on his heels. "Let's go."

…

Akashi was playing a seemingly very boring game of one-man shogi when Kuroko knocked on his door.

The redhead looked up, eyebrows raised. He wasn't expecting any visitors at this hour. Seeing the pale boy at his doorstep only surprised him more.

"Tetsuya?" And though Kuroko had relatively calmed down, he could still see the remnants of fear in his face. Akashi's eyes weren't called the 'Emperor's Eyes' for nothing. "What's wrong?"

His tone when talking to his precious Tetsuya was different from the one he uses to converse with anyone else. Akashi sounded less demanding; less harsh and less sadistic. The way he talks to Kuroko was more intimate, _kind_. It had always been like that. Of all of the Generation of Miracles, Akashi had known Kuroko the longest. They met each other when their parents were still alive - which, was without a doubt, a very long time ago.

Kuroko let himself in, closing the door behind him. When he said nothing for a long while, Akashi rose from his spot and walked over.

"Tetsuya," Akashi cupped Kuroko's pale cheeks with his hands. His mismatched eyes bore into the baby blue ones of his companion. His eyebrows knitted slightly with worry.

Kuroko stared back, keeping his gaze locked with Akashi's. It was strange. He couldn't seem to be able to bring himself to tell him what happened. It was as if he was scared that once he'd mentioned the name, the very person would appear right there and then.

Akashi studied his companion's eyes, searching for the answer to his earlier question. Slowly and finally, understanding dawned him.

"It's _him_, isn't it?" he growled. "Shougo is back."

Slowly, Kuroko nodded. "I met him just now."

Akashi withdrew his hands and muttered a string of curses. "I should've dealt with him while I had the chance."

Kuroko remained silent.

"What did he want?" Akashi asked after a sigh.

"I don't know," Kuroko said. "He claimed to be just visiting. I'm not even sure if he's still here."

"He's probably up to his mischief again," Akashi muttered distastefully. "But it's too late and dark to do anything now." His expression softened in sympathy. He reached out and ran his fingers through the shorter boy's soft blue locks. His eyes showed pain and regret. "I'm sorry, Tetsuya. I wish I could do more to protect you. After what happened.."

Kuroko shook his head. "Akashi-kun has done a lot already."

Akashi sighed once more before breaking into a fond smile. "Tetsuya is a good boy."

"Thank you, Akashi-kun."

Slowly, Akashi retracted his hand. His gaze flickered towards his entranceway. "I know you're there, Taiga. Come here."

His voice was back to normal; demanding, strict, slightly threatening. There was a short while of silence. Then the shuffling of feet was heard, and Kagami made his appearance.

"Y-Yo."

_Please don't kill me,_ he thought nervously.

Akashi smiled, amused by his anxiety. "You accompanied Tetsuya here, didn't you?"

Kagami nodded. He did not even bother to ask how he knew that.

"I forgive you for eavesdropping on us," Akashi said, as if reading his mind earlier. "But I want a favor done in return."

Kagami braced himself for the worst. What does he have to do? Wash Akashi's toilet? Scrub his house?

"For tonight," Akashi started. "I want you to watch over Tetsuya for us. Don't let anything happen to him, understand?"

Kagami blinked, before blurting out; "Why me?"

Akashi narrowed his eyes. "Why me, what?"

"Why are you letting me do such an important task?" Kagami said. "I mean, wouldn't it be better if it was you or even the others?"

"Use this as a chance to prove yourself worthy of my trust," Akashi said. His gaze briefly flickered over to Kuroko. "Besides, _he_ has much faith in you."

Kagami had no idea what he meant by the second part, but he didn't ask. So will he do it? He felt stupid for even pondering over _that_ decision. Yeah. Of course he will.

"I'll do it. I'll make sure he's safe." He hesitated a bit before adding, "And thanks. For not hitting me for eavesdropping."

"Then the two of you better get going," Akashi said. "It's getting late and I want to rest. Good night."

…

That night, Kuroko couldn't sleep. He tossed and he turned, but he failed. His hands were still shaky from the encounter, despite how hard he tried to make them stop. His heart hadn't regained its usual rhythm yet. His legs still felt like they wanted to bring him somewhere far, far away - away from everything.

Kuroko reached out, his fingers closing around fabric.

"Kuroko? What's wrong?"

Kuroko looked up to find a stunned looking Kagami staring back at him. The redhead was in the middle of reading his script in the candlelight. Wait. What did he do? Why was he..?

"What's wrong?" Kagami asked again, his voice laced with genuine concern.

"..nothing." Kuroko muttered. _Huh_? He couldn't let go. He couldn't unclench his hand. Why can't he let go of Kagami's shirt? "Nothing's.. wrong."

Kagami looked at him doubtfully. "I'm here, you know."

"Eh?"

Kagami was blushing faintly now. He averted his gaze sideways, already feeling embarrassed with what he wants to say. "You.. don't need to be afraid. I'm here. I'll protect you."

When Kuroko stared at him some more, Kagami hastily added, "So go to sleep already. Everything will be fine."

The pale boy turned on his side, facing his companion. "How can you be so sure, Kagami-kun? That everything will be okay."

"I promised Akashi, didn't I?" Kagami said, still not meeting his gaze. His blush was deepening now. Despite himself, Kuroko found the urge to pinch his cheeks.

"Kagami-kun is cute.." Kuroko unconsciously mumbled. He blinked, gradually realizing what he'd just said. Color promptly rose to his face.

Kagami's face was now the color of his hair. Oh. So he heard it. "S-Shut up. I'm a guy. Don't call me cute."

Kuroko chuckled softly at his reaction. Maybe that was what he needed; some laughter to help him relax. Or maybe it was Kagami's words. Or maybe it was just the redhead's presence itself. Kuroko felt more at ease. His hands stopped shaking. His heartbeat was still irregular, but the feeling was different. It felt more pleasant. His adrenaline was starting to fade, and a yawn escaped his lips.

"Hey!" Kagami protested, indignant that he got laughed at.

"Sorry." Kuroko said as he snuggled a little deeper under his blanket. He was covered up to his nose - which, was doing a good job hiding the pinkish tint on his cheeks. "..Thank you, Kagami-kun. For being here for me."

Kagami had yet to find the courage to resume looking at him. "S-Sure."

Kuroko let one last smile grace his lips before he closed his eyes. "Good night."

And when morning came, Kuroko's hand was stiff and numb from tightly holding on to Kagami's shirt all night.

**xXx**

News about Haizaki Shougo spread fast.

Kagami could feel the building tension in the air. The Generation of Miracles were constantly alert, reacting exaggeratedly to almost any unfamiliar sounds or situations. _Wait_. Scratch that. Even the other villagers seemed jumpy and protective over younger children and young girls. Meal times became grim and less cheery. Kuroko had Kise and Aomine following him around all day long. And for many nights - Kagami noticed since he'd been sleeping quite late -, the pale boy was plague by nightmares.

All these drastic response only made Kagami wonder more about their history with his Haizaki guy.

But even so, he had never once dared to ask. Instead of trying to butt in, Kagami minded his own business, spending more and more time memorizing and practicing his script. Roughly two weeks had passed, which left him only a month and a half until Akashi's plan commences.

Yes. He should only focus on that. There's no reason for him to involve himself in matters that do not concern him. He should save himself the trouble, and just finish what he's there to do.

And yet, Kagami found himself constantly fighting the urge to ask. Maybe there was something he could help in; like ganging up with Aomine to give Haizaki a sucker punch in the face, for instance. That guy really got on his nerves, for some reason. But then again, Kagami had heard the conversation between Kuroko and Akashi the other night (_accidentally_, mind you). If even Akashi was almost helpless against him, then what more can he, a mere outsider, be able to do?

Which reminds him. Kagami's travelling bag was missing. No - not missing. _Stolen_. Probably by that bastard Haizaki himself, since it disappeared the very same night he appeared. Ugh. All his remaining belongings were in there too. There goes his self defense items and spare clothes. Kagami hoped he would be able to replace those things by the time he resumed his journey.

Wait. Kagami rewound his train of thoughts. Stolen? Ever since he was stuck in the village, he'd never heard of anyone stealing from others besides the Generation of Miracles. So does it mean that..?

"Ah, screw this.." Kagami muttered to himself, raking a hand through his wet hair. All this thinking was sapping his strength. He sank himself lower until the water level was just below his nose, and exhaled through his mouth. He watched in bored interest as bubbles rose to the surface and popped.

"Mind if we join you?"

Kagami looked up, expecting no one in particular. It was a public bathing spot, after all.

A group of boys were standing at the edge of the waterfall pool, all stripped naked with only a towel around their waists. Kagami recognized them as the some of the male cooking crew after helping out in the kitchen several times.

"Uhh.. sure," Kagami said, moving over to make some space.

Most of them slipped into the water like how a normal person would - except for one. A brunette with cat-like eyes waited for everyone else to enter, smiling mischievously. The group that arrived with him groaned in harmony.

"Not again.."

Kagami raised his eyebrows. "Not again what?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Just brace yourself," Hyuuga grumbled next to him. "It's not going to be pretty."

Before the redhead could even react properly, the boy leaped into the air, shrieking "CANONBALL!" and totally ignoring the presence of the people there. He hit the water, successfully drenching everyone around him. When he resurfaced, his eyes were spinning and he had a mad grin plastered on his face.

"Hah! How was _that_ for awesome?" he whooped, staggering backwards. He would've fallen back into the water too, if Mitobe - a tall guy who never talks - had not caught him.

"You should stop doing that, Koga," Kiyoshi chided, though he was smiling. A metaphorical drop of sweat made its way down the side of his head. "You might just hit your head and kill yourself one day."

Koganei shook his head to stop it from spinning. "I'm okay."

"Nobody asked, idiot," Hyuuga snorted, swiping his hand over the water, splashing Koganei in the face. The cat-eyed boy huffed indignantly before doing the same - except he missed and hit Izuki, the self-proclaimed pun master, instead.

And in no time, a splashing war had begun. They were a lively lot, this group of boys. Kagami was sure their yells and cheers and chaos could be heard throughout the forest.

But he didn't care. He was too busy laughing as he unintentionally joined in the fun.

**xXx**

Kuroko slipped into a busy street, successfully not gaining attention from anyone around. Usually, he wouldn't' be bothered by something as trivial as this since he was _born_ with a weak presence, but the encounter with Haizaki had welled up the unwanted paranoia within him.

When Haizaki had first left the village and disappeared all those years ago, it took several months before Kuroko could swallow his fear and continue with life. And during that period of time, he had avoided skin contact with all human beings. He couldn't help it. It reminded him too much of the many things he so desperately wanted to forget. Even the Generation of Miracles, close to him as they were, had to wait weeks before Kuroko allowed them to approach within a two meter radius from him.

The memories came rushing back to him all at once; the darkness, the hands, the ropes tying him down, the gleeful laughter, the smell of tobacco and alcohol. And there was the stench of something else - something disgusting. Impure. He was struggling wildly, silently praying again and again and again to be rescued. He was so scared. Where was he? Why can't he see? Voices? Who do those voices belong to? A price? For what?

_Stop_, Kuroko told himself firmly, working hard to bury that memory back to the very depths of his mind. _Stop thinking about it_.

But the flashback persisted, no matter how hard he tried. Hands. They were touching him here, there and everywhere. He _hated_ it. He couldn't do anything but squirm. His strength was fading. Laughter. A drawling voice. The stench of alcohol.

Someone make it stop.

_Please.. make it stop. _

Kuroko clamped his hands over his ears. He couldn't inhale. No air was entering his lungs. His heart hammered against his chest.

"…tsu!"

_Breathe_. He had to breathe.

"Oi, Tetsu! Don't ignore me."

Aomine grabbed his pale companion's arm in an attempt to gain his attention. Kuroko flinched under his touch, instantly jerking away from his grip. Aomine stared at him in surprise.

"Tetsu..?"

Kuroko's eyes were wide and wild. His usual stoic mask was replaced with an expression of trauma and fear. He was breathing in short huffs. His gaze wasn't focused, like he was looking at someone behind him.

Shit. Aomine recognized this from long ago. This is bad. Why the hell did it have to happen _now_ of all times? He had to get Kuroko out of there.

"Tetsu," Aomine said gently. "Calm down. It's just me."

Kuroko still had his hands over his ears. "Help.. me.."

His voice was so pleading, so _frantic_, that it hurt to hear. Aomine winced, feeling his chest constrict. Not again. He _never_ wanted to hear that tone again.

"It's okay, Tetsu." Slowly, he reached out. "It's okay."

Kuroko's gaze refocused slightly at the sound of his voice. "Aomine-kun..?"

"..Yeah. It's me." Aomine closed his fingers around his companion's impossibly thin wrist. "Come on. Let's get you back home."

Kuroko once again tensed under his touch, but at least he did not pull away. Aomine felt a little relieved. With some effort, he managed to pry Kuroko's hands off his ears. He had to be careful not to make any unnecessary movements and freak him out. They couldn't afford to make a scene, even if their identities were concealed. Kuroko might be invisible, but Aomine was sure as heck not.

Kuroko couldn't walk. Aomine looked down, and saw why. The pale boy's legs were shaking so badly, it was unnatural. He had no choice, even if it meant being hit upside the head. In one swift motion, Aomine swung Kuroko easily onto his back. He draped the smaller boys arms over his shoulders, and bent his elbows to support his thighs and to keep him from falling. He then turned around, and retraced his steps to return to the village.

Kuroko hung on to him for all he was worth, despite how securely Aomine was holding him. Aomine bit his lower lip. He hated this the first time, but he hated it more now. Tetsu wasn't that weak. Tetsu was _never_ that weak. Not until that _bastard_ showed up and decided to ruin their lives.

It was decided. Aomine will kill Haizaki Shougo without hesitation the next time he sees him.

**xXx**

Momoi, Kise, Aomine, and Kuroko were not present for dinner.

At first, Kagami did not think too much about it. Maybe they had something important to do, and had no choice but to skip dinner.

But when Akashi excused himself early, Kagami got a foreboding feeling that something was wrong. Slowly, his mind put the pieces together. Aomine. Kise. Momoi. Akashi. All of them were particularly close to Kuroko. Oh, god.. did something happen to Kuroko?

Having only Midorima and Murasakibara for company was definitely not the best feeling in the world, so Kagami had no trouble making himself eat faster so he could leave earlier. But when he was about to walk off, Midorima spoke up, his voice grave.

"I would advise you not to disturb them at the moment."

Kagami turned, eyebrows raised. "Huh?"

"You've already figured out that something has happened." It was a statement, not a question. Midorima habitually pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Leave them for now. They wouldn't appreciate the extra company."

Kagami had this sudden vision of himself being strapped to a table tortured by a _certain_ group of people, so he figured it was best to follow Midorima's advice - as little as he wants to. Still, he wanted to get away from that place all the same. One more moment sitting with those two could drive him to insanity.

So he trudged off into the moonlit streets with no destination in mind. There was the main problem. He had no idea where the others were. At Kuroko's place? Aomine's? Kise's? He could've just walked in on them accidentally and get his butt whooped.

There was an annoyingly nagging thought in Kagami's mind. Something had happened to Kuroko. What was it? He had to rights to feel worried about him, didn't he? Kuroko was his friend too. They can't just hog the boy like that.

A deep sigh escaped Kagami's lips, followed by a chuckle of irony. _Huh_. Who was he kidding. Of course they can. They were his _family_. They were the people who'd loved him and supported him. They were the ones he grew up with. _And what am I?_ Kagami thought. A stranger. A foreigner. An idiot. A puppet used by the miracles to obtain a better life.

Kagami blanched, instantly disgusted by the bitterness of his thoughts. Wasn't he the one who'd agreed to help? Wasn't he the one who had promised Aomine and Kise that he would stay away from Kuroko?

Except.. the latter didn't seem as easy anymore, especially with the recent happenings. Kagami found himself frequently wondering more and more about the boy these days.

He abruptly stopped in his tracks. Crap. Where was he? He wouldn't have any trouble recognizing the place in broad daylight, but the darkness and the tornado of thoughts in his mind was interfering with his attempt to figure exactly where the heck he was. Kagami looked around, searching for signs that could help him find out his location.

A particular hut caught his attention. The way it was built was slightly different from the others in the area. It seemed - how should he put it - less crude. The strong wooden boards of the structure were more carefully cut and shaped, unlike a lot of the others that looked like a messy mesh of wood and nails. Kagami blinked as realization hit him. It was Akashi's house. How the heck did he get there?

There was light coming from the windows, so it meant that the wooden hut was occupied. Kagami was about ten meters away, but he could hear voices - particularly Aomine's, since he was yelling like it was nobody's business.

"Why did you let him go?" Aomine was saying. "You probably knew this might happen, with those freaky eyes of yours. Yet why the hell did you let him go?!"

"Daiki," Akashi's voice was steely calm. "Calm yourself."

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Aomine demanded, fury blinding his fear for the shorter redhead. "If I wasn't there, Tetsu might have been caught. We could've lost him again! Do you want that to happen?"

"Enough," Akashi gritted his teeth. He was rapidly losing his composure - which, was a rare occurrence. "That's enough."

"Is that what you want?" Aomine accused, ignoring his words. "To lose Tetsu again?"

"I had no choice!" And for the first time in his life, Akashi raised his voice. "Tetsuya insisted on going."

"You could've stopped him! Disallow him or something!"

"You think I didn't already do that?" Akashi said. "Ever since that night, Tetsuya had not been himself. I saw that. But he insisted on going to town anyway. He said he had a village to feed, and that he needed to do something to clear his mind. I _knew_ something would happen. Why the hell did you think I sent you to accompany him?"

Kagami listened, the guilt of eavesdropping weighing him down. He wasn't supposed to be here. He shouldn't be listening to all this. He had to walk away.

He forced himself to turn around, and willed his legs to move. One step. Two steps. Left. Right. Left. Right.

Yes. He had to get out of there.

But there was one problem. Where could he go?


	7. Chapter 7

**After not writing multiple-chapter fics for so long, I regretfully have to admit that I'm not very good with plot advancing anymore OTL. but yes, if you feel like I'm just randomly throwing stuff into the story, its true. I write spontaneously without much planning, so yeahh... **

**OTL OTL**

**I'll try to come up with something more.. I don't know, _surprising_ next time? gahhh my head hurts ;;u;; **

**on the side note, thank you all so much again for all the responses! I don't deserve so much love. ;_; really, I don't. I'm half-assed and shit. There. I'm swearing. OTL.**

***sigh* sorry. I'm feeling pretty down now after realizing just how much my writing skills have deteriorated. I'm losing self confidence, okay? OTL**

**derp. I'll shut up. I feel like those attention-hungry people. please ignore the last part of this A/N. **

**Excuse my mistakes. KuroBasu isn't mine. thank you so much in advance for reading! **

* * *

The argument between Aomine and Akashi had barely flared down when Momoi and Kise made their appearance, both looking weary.

"How's Tetsuya?" Akashi inquired when both of them had settled down. Kise turned away, unwilling to meet his gaze. He bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood. His eyes showed pain, very deep pain. He looked like he was trying his best not to break down and cry right there and then. He did not trust himself to speak.

Momoi, on the other hand, had not bothered to undergo such measures. Her eyes were red, and her face was streaked with tears. She had obviously been weeping. Seeing Kuroko - Kuroko, who was always there to cheer them up in his endearingly deadpanned manner, who was always there to support them, and who was always there to calm Aomine and Kise's meaningless arguments - in such a state had broken their hearts into a million pieces.

"..Tetsu-kun has calmed down. He's asleep now." Momoi's voice was hoarse when she spoke, as if she'd swallowed a gallon of sand. She realized that, and politely cleared her throat. "Midorin's remedy helped. It took a while for us to coax him to eat it, though."

"What happened?" Kise asked softly, gathering all his courage. He will not cry. For the sake of Kurokocchi. "Why did he suddenly..?"

All eyes focused on Aomine, since he was the only one there when everything happened.

"I wish I knew," he said, exhaling exasperatedly. "I was right by him the whole time. I only looked away for one second, and then it happened."

"Were there anything to trigger his memories about that incident?" Akashi asked.

Aomine shook his head. "I was looking around and there was nothing out of the ordinary. And besides, we were far from _that_ place. It's impossible."

"But something must have happened," Momoi insisted. "Tetsu-kun was trying so hard to forget it. Something must have triggered the remembrance."

Akashi laced his fingers, deep in thought. "No," he decided. "Daiki is probably right. There couldn't be anything in that part of the city that could have reminded him of that day."

"Then why..?"

"He must have accidentally thought of it," Akashi hypothesized. "Tetsuya had been spacing out quite frequently these days. There's a high chance that he'd accidentally came across the thought, and was unable to push it away."

"There must be something we can do," Kise said, hugging his knees. "We can't let this happen again. I don't _want_ to see it happen again."

"Neither do all of us, Ryouta," Akashi assured him, the flames of the candles dancing in his heterochromatic eyes. "There _is_ something we can do."

Three faces looked at him expectantly.

"To destroy a plant, we have to pull out the roots," was all he said, but the message was clear.

Haizaki. They had to deal with Haizaki Shougo. _Huh_. That wasn't so hard.

"No harm plucking some leaves while we're at it," Aomine sneered, cracking his knuckles with newfound anticipation. He was _so_ going to kick that bastard's ass. "So what's the plan?"

"Patience, Daiki," Akashi soothed. "Before all that, we would need information." He turned his gaze to Momoi. "Satsuki."

The girl pulled on a shaky confident smile. "On it."

"What about Kagamicchi? Should we include him in this?" Kise blurted out. He got several blank stares in return.

"Kagami?" Aomine sounded incredulous. "Why should we drag him into this?"

"Well.." Kise shifted his weight, realizing that maybe it wasn't that safe to bring up the redhead at that moment.

"We saw him walking away from this area while we were heading here," Momoi said. "We thought you guys sent him away or something."

"Huh?" Aomine stared at the two like they'd grown another head. "What _are_ you two talking about? We didn't see him at all."

Kise and Momoi exchanged looks. "Could he be..?"

"It doesn't matter," Akashi dismissed with a slight wave of his hand. "Even if Taiga heard us, it will not hinder what we do. He's trying hard to stay out of this himself, though he'll probably burst from curiosity soon."

Well, if Akashi says it's okay, then it's okay.

"In the mean time," the redhead went on. "We'll keep a close eye on Tetsuya. We'll discuss this matter again when the time comes."

The others nodded in agreement. "I'll keep him company tonight," Aomine and Kise spoke up at the same time. When they realized what had happened, they glared at each other competitively.

"_I'll_ do it, Aominecchi," Kise feigned sweetness in his voice. "You must be tired after running around with Kurokocchi on your back."

"Nahh," Aomine had the same tone in his voice. "_You're_ the one who should rest. Calming Tetsu down couldn't have been an easy feat."

"Go rest, Aominecchi. I _insist_." Kise pulled on a very forced smile.

"You do it. I'll be fine."

"Both of you can go," Akashi cut in. His eyebrows twitched microscopically with annoyance. He was _not_ in the mood to watch those idiots argue. "I have a feeling that Taiga won't be there tonight."

The others stared at him. Kagami won't be there? Of all times, he had to disappear _now_?

But no one found the urge to question the redhead about his statement. Glumly, they bid their leader good night, and took their leave.

When the footsteps of his companions have receded and he had been left alone, Akashi brought his fist upon his table. He hit it with such force, it rattled violently and threatened to come apart, but Akashi didn't care. He raked his fingers through his hair, and heaved a sigh.

"_Damn it_…"

**xXx**

That night, as Akashi had predicted, Kagami did not return to Kuroko's home. Aomine and Kise wondered if they should be furious at him for abandoning Kuroko, or grateful for giving them space.

As it turned out, Kagami camped out on a tree. Not _under_ one. _On_ one. He'd wandered around aimlessly after fleeing from the area around Akashi's house, and had somehow came to a decision that he shouldn't go back. Not yet. So he ventured into the forest, picked a nice, strong tree, and decided that it would his bed for the night, not caring if it was dark or dangerous.

Kagami hadn't climbed trees for a while, and his skills had rusted a little. But he had strong arms, so he figured it didn't really matter. With practiced grips and steps, Kagami scaled the tree; and in a few minutes, he was standing on one of the thicker branches with about a dozen splinters in his hands. He swept his gaze around him, taking in what he could see from his spot while he plucked the pieces of wood off his skin. A gentle breeze caressed his face. Somewhere further in the woods behind him, the waterfall roared. Several trees to his left, on a branch slightly higher than where he was, perched a bird nest. It was dark, but Kagami could make out the bright blue feathers of the animal occupying the nest. He turned and gazed into the distance. He was careful not to wander too deep into the forest in case he got lost, so he kept close to the village. He could see the lights half a mile away. And in the far off distance, Kagami could make out the dark silhouette of the high walls that separated the main city from the outside world.

Kagami bent down, inspecting the strength of the branch. He wouldn't want to be falling to his death while he slept. Fortunately, it seemed sturdy enough. Kagami carefully adjusted his position so he was sitting right at the base of the branch where it provided the most support. He stretched his legs out before him, and leaned against the rough surface of the tree trunk. He crossed his arms behind his head, and tilted his chin upward, looking at the night sky. There were small clouds drifting by here and there, but there was nothing to indicate that it would rain later on. Kagami exhaled, almost wearily, and closed his eyes, letting the strange cries of insects and unknown animals lull him to sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, he was positively aching all over. Kagami groaned, flexing his sore shoulders. Strange. He had no problems sleeping on the hard wooden floor of Kuroko's home. Kagami inhaled the fresh morning air, his eyes fixing themselves towards the rising sun in the far east.

Wait. Rising sun in the east? He woke up _that_ early?

A sigh escaped his lips as he slowly accepted the fact. He had a feeling he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep even if he wanted to. He swung his legs off the branch, dangling them in thin air. His side was now facing the tree trunk. Kagami watched as the villagers gradually woke up to begin their daily activities. He could hear the faint chatters of people making their way to the waterfall for morning baths. No one noticed him, since he was quite hidden behind layers and layers of leaves.

Kagami subconsciously hummed a tune as he swung his legs back and forth like how he used to when he was younger. The action calmed him, for some reason. Maybe it was the song. His mother used to sing him to sleep with it. She had this sweet, melodious voice that Kagami loved.

Strangely, Kagami did not try to stop the reminiscence. Another memory resurfaced, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. It was that one night when his mother was away. Kagami had thrown a tantrum, refusing to sleep until she comes back and sing his favorite song. His dad, knowing that his wife would not be back until the following afternoon at best, was desperate. Kagami had a loud voice, and his screams and wails and demands were on the verge of driving him crazy. So he did the first thing that came into his mind. He sang.

He sounded like a strangled goose. And Kagami was holding back when he told him that. It was baffling, how his mother could sound so beautiful while his father sounded like a choking horse. But Kagami had stopped screaming, and had listened in silence. And slowly, he'd started laughing.

Kagami couldn't help wondering: which one of his parents did he take after? He'd never tried singing. He was almost sure he inherited his father's strangled animal voice.

But hey. He was alone now, and he was hidden from sight. What harm could it do? Curiosity got the better of him. Kagami took one last look around to confirm his deductions. Then he inhaled once, and started singing.

It was a miracle he could remember the lyrics. Kagami hadn't heard the song in years, but somehow, the words just came back to him. He started in a soft tone, but it gradually got louder and louder as he lost himself in the song. Kagami had to admit; he sounded okay as long as he needn't hit high notes. He decided that he'd inherited a little bit of both from his parents; his mother's calming voice when he's singing normal notes, and his father's strangled voice when it comes to higher ones.

He had barely just finished the last word of the lyrics when he heard the claps. Kagami glanced around, wondering who had heard him. He looked down, and after a while of searching, he noticed a boy with a familiar mop of pale blue hair standing right beneath him.

"K-Kuroko?" Kagami stuttered, surprised. He started blushing from embarrassment.

"Kagami-kun has a really nice voice," was all the shorter boy said. Kagami covered his face with his hands, mortified.

"How long have you been there?" he asked.

"About half the song."

Kagami considered fading into the tree bark, but it was pretty impossible. With a sigh, he stood up, and jumped, using his hands to hold on to the branch before he could drop on the ground. He estimated the distance of the drop; which was about six meters. A piece of cake. Kagami had jumped from higher trees back home. After he'd broken his leg and twisted his ankles several times, that is.

"Stand off before I land on you, Kuroko," he warned. Kuroko obediently stepped out of the way.

Kagami exhaled once through his mouth, and released his grasp. He hit the ground with surprising lightness, his knees bent with the momentum. He straightened up, and stretched.

"Why are you up so early, anyway?" Kagami turned to Kuroko, trying - _and_ failing - to sound pissed off. "It's dangerous for you to be wandering around alone; especially with everything going on."

Kuroko shrugged. "I couldn't go back to sleep."

"Still," Kagami huffed.

"Besides," Kuroko added, a mischievous glint in his eyes. His face was still expressionless, though. "I feel like scaring Aomine-kun and Kise-kun a little when they wake up."

"You're a deadpanned sadist," Kagami decided.

"I guess growing up with Akashi-kun left some effects on me," Kuroko said. Kagami couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"So what do you plan to do? It's too early for breakfast or anything." Kagami shifted his weight from foot to foot.

Kuroko stared wistfully at the branch Kagami had been sitting on a minute ago, not saying a word. The redhead blinked in mild confusion for a short while before following the shorter's line of sight.

"You want to go up there?" he asked.

"I've always wondered how it felt like to be higher and taller than everyone else." Kuroko shook his head. "But I'll never be able to. I don't think I can climb up there."

Kagami considered this for a moment. "I can help you up, if you want."

Kuroko looked at him doubtfully. "I don't think we'll be able to reach even with both our heights combined."

"No problem," Kagami turned so his back was facing his companion. He bent his legs so he was halfway squatting. "Come on up."

Very reluctantly, Kuroko gave in to the temptation. He climbed onto Kagami's back, gingerly wrapping his arms around the taller boy's neck. His thin legs circled around Kagami's waist, his ankles crossed to keep them locked in position so that he will not slip off.

Kagami wasn't really surprised by the fact that Kuroko weighed almost next to nothing. If he were to be distracted right then, he was sure he could forget that he was carrying a boy on his back.

"Hang on tight," Kagami to Kuroko as he started ascending after finding a firm handhold. "Going up."

Kuroko's arm instinctively tightened around Kagami's neck as they rose higher and higher. He had a sudden vision of himself falling into a never ending void, and he worked to push the thought away. He tried focusing on other things instead.

Kuroko became instantly aware of the fact that his body was pressed flushed against Kagami's back. In fact, he could feel the other's body heat through the ragged clothes they were both wearing. Kuroko involuntarily blushed at the thought. Oh, well. There was nothing he could do about it. Since he was already in that position, he might as well just enjoy Kagami's gentle warmth while he could.

The scenery from a higher place was definitely different from the one he always saw from eye level. Kuroko was too nervous to appreciate it at first, but after finding out that the branch was strong enough to hold his weight and there was enough space for him to sit on, he figured he would survive. Kagami didn't join him on the branch. Instead, he hung on with only one foot on a part of the bark that jutted out, and one arm around the tree. Kuroko was sure it was a risky thing to do, but Kagami looked so confident, he decided not to comment.

The two of them stayed there in comfortable silence for a while; Kuroko enjoying the sight and breeze while Kagami mentally debated with himself whether or not to ask the question that kept lingering in his mind ever since he saw the pale boy. Carefully, he stole a glance at his companion. The dark circles under Kuroko's eyes betrayed his lack of sleep - probably due to those countless nightmares he'd been having for the past week or more. Kagami wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but Kuroko even seemed thinner. The first time they met, Kagami thought of him as slender. Now he seriously looked like he was just skin and bones.

"Why didn't you come back yesterday?"

Kuroko's voice jerked the redhead out of his thoughts. "Huh?" Then his brain registered the question. "Oh. Well, I thought.." he paused to scratch the back of his neck as he struggled to find the words. "I thought I should give you guys some space or something. I figured that I would just be a hindrance if I go there."

Kuroko kept his gaze towards the horizon. "Aren't you.. wondering what happened?"

"Of course," Kagami admitted. "But if you guys are not willing to talk about it, then I won't pry."

"..One day," Kuroko promised. "I'll tell you everything."

And then they heard the scream.

**xXx**

By the time they reached the hut where they thought the scream had come from, a crowd had gathered.

The two boys plowed their way through, struggling to reach the scene. Kuroko heard many unsettling things as he worked to reach inside; most of them mentioning a single name that made him want to hide under a blanket and not come out until he was thirty. But he would save those useless thoughts for later. He had to concentrate on what he was doing now.

Finally the crowd parted, and Kuroko made his way towards a young woman kneeling on the wooden flooring, her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Some villagers were trying in vain to console her. Kuroko tensed. He recognized this lady.

"Tanaka-san," he said, kneeling down next to her. He rested a hand on her shoulder. Upon hearing his voice, the lady lifted her head.

"Tetsuya-kun..?"

"Yes," Kuroko answered, his voice gentle. "We heard you scream. What happened?"

As if his question reminded her of something, the lady grabbed his shoulders and shook him frantically, her nails digging into Kuroko's skin.

"Please!" she begged. "You have to save her! It's him! He took her! He took my daughter!"

Kuroko's breathing hitched. _No. Not again_.

"Please calm down, Tanaka-san," Kuroko tried hard to keep the quaver out of his voice. "Tell me what happened first."

The lady swallowed. "I-I was cleaning and tidying some of our things. Neri was still asleep, so I did not worry about her wandering off or anything. She.. She was still there lying peacefully in her cot when I went out to air some sheets. It barely took five minutes. B-But.. when I came back inside.." She once again buried her face in her hands. "It's all my fault!"

Kuroko couldn't think straight. It's all happening again. History was repeating itself. Everything was just like that day five years ago. Except _he_ was the one missing then.

It finally dawned him. He finally understood why Haizaki came back.

"It's okay, Tanaka-san," Kuroko soothed. "I'll save her." He stood up, eyes burning with determination. He wasn't going to let anything like that happen again. Not ever. "We're quite deep in the forest, so it'll take some time before he reaches the city. He couldn't have gone too far."

He wasn't even planning to stay long enough to hear the lady's thanks. With that decision made, he turned, and strode out.

"Wait." Someone caught his arm. Kuroko glanced over his shoulder.

"What is it, Kagami-kun?" He sounded hostile even to his own ears. "I'm in a hurry."

"It's him, isn't it?" Kagami demanded. "The one who took the girl was Haizaki."

Kuroko tugged at his arm, but Kagami kept him in an iron grip.

"Let go of me," Kuroko said, turning to glare directly at the redhead.

"You can't possibly expect to confront him by yourself, are you?" Kagami asked, almost incredulously. He completely ignored the look Kuroko was giving him. "I was there with you that night. I saw how terrified you were when he showed up!"

"It doesn't matter," Kuroko gritted his teeth. "All that doesn't matter now. I have to save her."

"You could at least tell the other's first," Kagami reasoned. "What if something happens to you?"

"Then you go," Kuroko's dared. "Go tell Akashi-kun and the rest of the Generation of Miracles what I'm about to do while I chase down Haizaki-kun."

"You might as well be asking me to suicide," Kagami exhaled in frustration. "_Fine_. I'll go with you. And I don't expect a no for an answer."

Kuroko stared at him, eyebrows knitted slightly. Then he decided that there was probably no use arguing with the redhead. Kagami was as insistent on following him as Kuroko is on tracking down Haizaki and rescuing the girl.

"Don't let go of my hand," he muttered, so softly that Kagami barely caught it. His long fringe shadowed his expression. "We're taking a shortcut."

Kagami did not know the way to the main city since he'd never been there, so he wasn't sure if Kuroko was being generous by calling the road they took a 'shortcut'. Kuroko led him into the forest through a thick growth of trees, his pace quickening with every step he took. Kagami realized long after his breathing had turned heavy that they were going straight ahead without making any turns.

"Haizaki-kun left the village some time ago, so he should not be aware of the other paths we'd discovered later on," Kuroko explained, never once slowing down. His was panting slightly, but he seemed determined not to stop anytime soon. "The path he's probably using now has lots of twists and turns, so that will buy us some time."

"We are not facing him by ourselves," Kagami said, carefully leaping over some protruding tree roots as he struggled to follow.

"We're not," Kuroko agreed, not looking back. "We might hurt the girl if something were to happen. Our priority now is to save her, then we'll immediately rush back using the way we came from. I don't think Haizaki-kun would dare follow us though an unfamiliar path."

"But how are you going to do it?" Kagami asked. "Save the girl, I mean."

Kuroko did not answer. He abruptly paused in his tracks, his rest rising and falling rapidly. His head whipped around as he surveyed the area. He then squatted down low, pulling Kagami with him. Kagami released his grip on his companion's arm as Kuroko motioned him to go right. Hidden by a thick growth of bushes and berry plants, they slowly inched eastward, careful not to make a sound. It was difficult, with all the dry leaves and stray branches lying around. It took Kagami lots of effort just to keep the bugs out of his face.

Kuroko stopped, Kagami following suit. Cautiously, they peeked over the blueberry bush they were hiding behind. Kagami blinked as he saw a clear road before them. It was a path where the trees parted as if making way, the ground firm and sandy. It somehow reminded him of the road he took when he'd first started his journey.

"..I'm a 'shadow', Kagami-kun," Kuroko whispered, answering the question directed to him earlier. "He won't notice me."

Now that their breathing and heartbeat had returned to normal, they could hear the sound of footsteps. In the distance, Kagami could make out a figure slowly approaching. If that was Haizaki, he wasn't in a hurry.

"It'll be risky," Kagami said, working to come out with a decent plan. "He might be too fast for you."

"I'll catch him by surprise."

Kagami chewed his lower lip, making up his mind. "I'll distract him."

Kuroko stared at him, eyebrows raised.

"You said you're a 'shadow', right?" Kagami said, smiling reassuringly. "There's no shadow without light, and people tend to notice the light more. So for now, I'll be your light. I'll distract him while you save the girl."

Kuroko opened his mouth to argue, but Kagami was already heading out, positioning himself in the middle of the road. He stood there casually with his arms crossed, as if he had been there waiting all day. Too late to change plans now. Kuroko hunched lower behind the bush.

Kagami had no idea how Kuroko knew where to stop or how he could be so confident that they could overtake Haizaki. He figured the pale guy was just strange that way. The sound of footsteps halted, and Kagami looked up.

Haizaki Shougo stood several meters away from him, carrying a sack over his left shoulder. Judging from the way it was moving with lots of muffled screams coming from it, the girl must be trashing really badly in there. Ouch. Her kicks must be a real pain.

"Oh? What do we have here?"

Haizaki feigned amusement in his voice, and his lips were upturned in a mock grin. But Kagami saw his eyes. If glares could kill, Kagami might just be dead.

"What do you plan to do with the girl?" Kagami asked, not budging from his spot.

"I'm surprised you actually managed to overtake me," Haizaki said, not answering the question. "Who showed you the shorter way?"

"No one," Kagami lied. "I was only given directions."

He could tell that Haizaki did not believe him one bit, but he stood his ground.

"Don't try to stop me, outsider," Haizaki said, his voice all serious now. "This does not concern you."

"What doesn't?" Kagami snorted. "The fact that you kidnapped an innocent child or the fact that you stole my things?"

"Hey, they were just begging to be taken." Haizaki shrugged indifferently. "You can't possibly still be bitter over something that happened that long ago."

"Actually," Kagami said in a monotone. "I still am."

Haizaki narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" Kagami demanded. "Why are you willing to kidnap kids that did nothing to you?"

He was sure it was a reasonable question he asked, but Haizaki burst out laughing.

"Are you kidding?" he sneered, wiping the corners of his eyes. "Are you that stupid that you can't even guess?"

Kagami stayed quiet, waiting.

"Money." Haizaki spread his arms, as if emphasizing his point. "Do you have any idea how much those fools in the city are willing to pay just for a scrawny kid like the one I got here? They're desperate, all right. They'd give anything just to satisfy their desires. I only need a small bunch of brats to strike rich."

"You're sick," Kagami decided.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Haizaki challenged.

"Nothing yet. I've got more important things to do." Kagami inhaled once, then shouted; "Kuroko! Now!"

They waited. Ten seconds passed. A minute. There were no signs of other movement except for the breeze that was blowing.

"Did you really think something that cheap would trick me?" Haizaki demanded, looking bored.

Kagami grinned triumphantly. "Nope."

Haizaki barely had time to comprehend what just happened when an invisible force slammed on him from behind, yanking the sack with the girl from his grasp.


	8. Chapter 8

**So after thinking about it for some time, I thought I should just take things slow and stop bitching about my skills. I apologize for my rant in the previous chappie. I'm sorry. **

**moving on. I'd like to thank you all so much for the follows and favs! I have somehow miraculously reached a hundred (and a little more) of those two responses ouo. I LOVE YOU ALL in the most platonic way /shot**

**also, this _might_ be my last update in a while. I'll be away on the week after next, and I'm not sure if I can complete another chappie by then ;;u;; I'm so sorry!**

**apparently, tomorrow (1/12) marks my second year in fanfic. net ouo. ****I've come a long way TwT.** LET'S CELEBRATE- /shotdeadandburied. 

**Excuse my mistakes (or rather, feel free to point them out lol). KuroBasu is not mine. Enjoy!**

* * *

Everything would've went fine if the girl wasn't _that_ terrified.

Kuroko tried his best to calm her down as soon as he got her, but she kept on struggling wildly. He couldn't run with her like that.

Someone grabbed his arm, and Kuroko froze. Unwanted memories flashed in his mind; the force that yanked him out of his sleep, his own screams, the shortage of air, the darkness, the stench. The hands.

"Gotcha," Haizaki growled, tightening his grip on the smaller boy's arm. "That push _hurt_, you know."

_Move. _

"Tetsuya onii-chan!" The girl had successfully freed herself from the sack. She was staring at the scene with horror.

_I have to move. _

Haizaki reared his free hand back, his fingers curled into a fist. "My turn."

Kuroko summoned all his willpower to move. He forcefully yanked his arm from Haizaki's grip and ducked down, dodging his swinging fist by a hair's breath. Kuroko scrambled forward, using his body to shield the child from whatever blows Haizaki might want to deliver upon them. He swallowed thickly, willing his fears to disappear. He was sure he was shaking badly, but he didn't care. He had to protect the girl.

"You're a pathetic sight, Tetsuya." Haizaki stepped towards them leisurely. "You think you can protect someone when you're so weak yourself? Don't make me laugh." He paused for a split second and blinked, as if dawned by something. "Or are you that desperate to save the brat because you're afraid that she would end up like you did?"

Kuroko didn't answer, but his mind was screaming. _Shut up. Shut up. Shut up._

"That's it, isn't it?" Haizaki laughed, as if the idea was hilarious. "Gosh, you people never fail to entertain me. You guys should just go-"

"Shut up!"

A fist landed squarely on the side of Haizaki's face with a satisfying _crunch_, the impact of it enough to send the boy reeling. Kuroko dared himself to steal a glance at what was happening. Kagami stood over Haizaki's crumpled figure, breathing heavily. Anger blazed in his eyes. Kuroko had never seen him look so furious before.

"Bastards like you have no rights to comment on what other people do!" Kagami yelled, jabbing a finger at the boy on the ground. "I don't care what happened in the past, but Kuroko is not weak. In fact, he's stronger than you in so many more ways!"

Part of Kuroko admired the redhead for standing for him. At that moment, Kagami reminded him of the heroes he used to picture in his mind when he was a small child: tall, handsome, and overpowering the antagonist. But part of him was also wanted to scream at him to stop talking and flee before Haizaki regains his bearings and decides to start a all-out brawl.

"Kagami-kun!" he managed to choke out. He hoped Kagami was able to get his message.

Fortunately, Kagami understood. Haizaki was still on the ground, holding his head and trying hard to focus his sight. Kagami figured he hit him hard enough to make him see double for a while. He walked over and realized with a start that he actually _recognized_ the girl they were saving. Kagami's mind did a brief flashback to the day he first arrived in the village. She was the girl who'd asked him if they was anyone he loved.

"Come on." He grabbed the kid by the back of her shirt and lifted her up with ease, depositing her on his back. "Hang on tight," he told her. "Won't want you falling off and wasting our efforts." When the girl nodded, he turned to Kuroko, offering a hand to help him up. "You okay?"

Kuroko got on his legs. "..Yes."

"Then let's go." Kagami glanced behind. Haizaki still hadn't stood up. "We've got to return before we miss breakfast."

**xXx**

Kagami and Kuroko made it back to the village without being chased, which was a relief. Kagami wasn't sure if he could handle the pressure of _that_. The villagers had waited anxiously for their return, and their approaching figures had elicited a hearty cheer from everyone gathered there.

Well, _almost_ everyone anyway.

Kuroko had earned Kagami's respect in more than one way that day. Aside from the fact that he actually _volunteered_ to face Haizaki just to save the girl (though he _did_ freak out a little halfway, that isn't the point), Kuroko had ignored - _ignored_ - a particular group of very angry and worried looking adolescents as he made his way to the rescued girl's mother. Kagami wasn't sure how he did it. Akashi's glare was so intimidating, Kagami could practically _see_ the aura he was emitting.

But at least the mother was happy.

Now that they'd stopped running, Kagami noticed that Kuroko walked with a small limp. He headed towards him, flinching as he passed the Generation of Miracles. He forced himself not to meet their eyes. A shudder ran down his spine. He gulped and kept on walking, wondering how Kuroko could actually make it look so easy.

"You okay?" he asked once they fell in step. Kuroko balanced himself on one leg, raising the other to inspect the base of his foot. It was covered in a couple of blisters, a dozen scratches, and about a hundred splinters.

"Ouch," Kagami said, blanching at the sight. "Let's get that fixed up."

He'd actually expected Kuroko to tell him to go on first while he sees Midorima about it, but the shorter boy only nodded and said, "I've got some first-aid supplies in my place."

_Okayy_. So whatever the reason was, Kuroko was avoiding the rainbow group. Kagami could figure out that much. He couldn't really blame the guy. Their actions were kind of rash, but hey. It was a on-a-whim moment. They had to save the girl before something happened, regardless of who the kidnapper was.

Or in this case, they had to save her _precisely_ because they knew who the culprit was.

Every step he took looked like it hurt a lot, so Kagami let himself do another impulsive act. Swiftly, he picked Kuroko off the ground, and draped him over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

So that wasn't exactly the most heroic or romantic (or even _friendly_, for that matter) act. But who cares? All Kagami wanted was to not let Kuroko walk. He wouldn't want to arouse any suspicion by carrying Kuroko like a bride or something.

"K-Kagami-kun?" Kuroko voiced in surprise.

"Don't walk," Kagami said. "You'll make them worst. I'll get us back to your place."

His second attempt to walk right past the Generation of Miracles was not that successful. Kagami accidentally locked eyes with Akashi, and he swore he could feel cold fingers running up and down the back of his neck. The shorter redhead had his arms crossed, his face a mask free of emotions, but his eyes sent a very clear message.

_Explain this later._

Kagami wasn't looking forward to that later.

Kagami deposited Kuroko on the floor once he reached the hut before going to rummage for the first aid supplies. He found the box where Kuroko had kept them in after a few minutes, and proceeded to fish out some cotton wool, a bottle of antiseptic, a pair of tweezers, and a roll of bandages. He left the small basin he found under the running tap to fill it as he hunted for a clean piece of cloth. Once he had everything, Kagami headed back to where he left Kuroko, supplies in one hand, a filled basin and a cloth in the other.

"You guys should really wear some shoes when you go out," Kagami chided as he sank down on the floor. He motioned Kuroko to stretch out his legs. He started by using the tweezers to carefully pluck out every splinter he could find on the base of the smaller boy's feet. "I mean, doesn't it get annoying? The fact that you have to treat your feet every time you return from walking around in the forest and all that."

"We're used to it, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, wincing as Kagami cleaned his damaged skin with the soaked cloth, despite how gentle the taller boy was trying to be. "We've been barefooted ever since we were born, and we prefer to walk around that way."

"Still," Kagami grumbled, setting the cloth aside and picking up the bottle of antiseptic. He shook the bottle a bit before soaking some cotton wool with the chemical and applying it the wounds. "You've got to be more careful, you know. If you run around in the forest - or even in here, for that matter - with your wounds exposed, it might just lead to a very bad infection. "

"I know that," Kuroko said, sounding almost indignant. Then he added quietly, "Infections are trivial compared to some other things."

If Kagami heard it, he said nothing. Both of them stayed in comfortable silence after that; Kagami concentrating on his work and Kuroko watching as the redhead wrapped the roll of bandage round and round his feet.

"There." Kagami leaned back and beamed with satisfaction as his handiwork. Kuroko's feet were bandaged neatly. To be frank, it was the first time Kagami had ever done it properly. The bandaging he frequently did for himself at home were always sloppy and loose and would come undone with the slightest movement. "What do you think?"

Kuroko stared at his feet and wiggled his toes. "Kagami-kun is surprisingly good at this."

"Thanks." Then he noticed the sarcasm. "Wait. That wasn't a compliment, was it?"

For the first time in weeks, Kuroko smiled. "Sorry. Thank you for helping me, Kagami-kun."

Kagami could feel the stupid blush rising to his cheeks. Again. He turned away, hoping to hide it. "I-It's nothing."

He proceeded to gather the things he'd used to return them back to their initial places. Out of the corner of his eye, Kagami saw Kuroko shift his legs, probably to get into a more comfortable position. Figures. Keeping his legs outstretched and straight for so long must've made them really stiff. Kagami didn't think much about it until a shadow fell over him and he felt someone touching his hair.

He looked up, raising his eyebrows in mild surprise. A yelp almost escaped Kagami's lips when he found himself staring right into a pair of large, baby blue orbs.

"There are some leaves in your hair, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, his face deadpanned as usual. But Kagami barely heard him. His mind was too occupied with the fact that his face was only about an inch away from Kuroko's. They were so close, they could feel each other's warm breaths. And _darn it_ - why weren't either of them pulling back?

"Kagami..kun?" Kuroko's voice was questioning. His cheeks were starting to feel hot.

_Just a little closer,_ Kagami thought, almost in a trance. _Then I could ki_-

"What the heck are you two _doing_?"

Kagami jerked back so fast he almost upset the basin of water. His attention focused on the entrance of Kuroko's home, wondering who the hell had showed up in such a bad timing.

"Midorima-kun?" How Kuroko could sound so calm despite all that remained a mystery to Kagami until this day.

Midorima stood there, eyes wide with disgust. There was a crack in one of the lens of his glasses. He looked utterly freaked out.

Kagami's face got several shades redder in a matter of seconds. "It's not what it looks like!" he said, raising his hands.

Midorima looked like he was in danger of fainting. "This is abominable! _Disgusting_! Have you two no shame?" he almost shrieked. He getting so flustered, it was actually beginning to look funny. "Akashi asked me to come and check on you two and I see _this_!"

"There were some leaves in Kagami-kun's hair," Kuroko said flatly.

"I don't care," Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose. "That doesn't change the fact that the two of you almost k-k-k-ki-" He couldn't seem to bring himself to say the word.

"Kissed?" Kuroko suggested innocently. Whether or not he was doing it on purpose to tease him, Kagam didn't know.

"Yes!" Midorima said. Then his face turned red. "AHHH WHY AM I EVEN INVOLVED WITH THIS BUNCH!"

Kagami sweatdropped. As Midorima launched himself into a seemingly long sermon, he glanced at Kuroko, exchanging a silent conversation with him. _What's with him?_

Kuroko shook his head. _Midorima-kun doesn't handle things like this well. _

Kagami raised his eyebrows. _He is one stressed person._

Kuroko shrugged. _I guess so._

It was scary, how they could read each other's expressions so well.

"-d've known to stay at home today like what the horoscopes said," Midorima was ranting. Then he realized that the two boys before him weren't exactly paying attention, and sighed. This is not going to work. He took deep breaths to regain his composure. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I see that my assistance is not needed here."

"Pretty much," Kagami admitted, earning himself a glare from the bespectacled boy.

"Go clean yourselves," Midorima said. "Akashi expects to see both of you before lunch."

So they did miss breakfast after all. But were they really gone that long? It didn't feel like it at all.

Satisfied that he'd done what he'd been asked to do, Midorima stormed off, all the while muttering something under his breath. _Yep_, Kagami decided. He's stressed.

"Go on first," he told Kuroko. "I'll clean these up before I go."

Kuroko didn't listen to him. He stood up and bent down, retrieving the first aid supplies. He bounded off to put them back before Kagami could even protest.

Kagami blinked. "Kuro-"

"I'm fine, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said in a tone that dared him to disagree. Kagami wisely decided not to argue.

"Alright then," he sighed. "Guess we'll be going together."

Despite his efforts to keep the conversation light and pretend as if there was nothing going on, Kagami couldn't stop thinking about what just happened.

Ten minutes ago, he'd almost kissed Kuroko Tetsuya.

**xXx**

Akashi tapped his foot impatiently against the ground. How minutes has it been since he arrived? Five? Six? Has waiting ever been this hard?

A sigh escaped his lips. _I'm really losing it these days,_ Akashi thought tiredly. He was already being driven up a wall with everything happening all around him. And now those two just _had_ to pull off some kind of dangerous stunt early in the morning. Akashi was certain this amount of stress given to him was not healthy.

"What's taking them so long?" Aomine grumbled. Usually, he would still be half awake at this hour, but for once, it was an exception. He looked ready to wring someone's neck.

"We've only been here for about ten minutes, Aominecchi," Kise said, despite feeling restless himself. He kept on rocking back and forth cross-legged. Akashi pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. Why did he let these two join him in the first place?

A knock sounded on Akashi's door, and they looked up. Kuroko and Kagami were standing at the entrance, awaiting the shorter redhead's permission for them to enter. Their hair were still wet from their bath. Akashi noticed the bandages on Kuroko's feet, but he said nothing. He had a fair amount of those of his own.

"You may enter." Akashi crossed his arms and waited as his guests entered his home and settled down. He studied their faces, looking for any signs of guilt or remorse. Kuroko still looked deadpanned - though he had this somewhat defiant glint in his eyes. Kagami didn't look as relaxed. He looked all fidgety and nervous. The tension was thick in the air.

"What were you _thinking_?" Kise burst out before the newcomers could even sit down properly.

So Kuroko's idea of freaking Kise and Aomine out worked well.

"The girl was kidnapped," Kuroko answered, his voice dangerously calm. "I had to save her.

"But the person behind it all was _Haizaki_," Aomine said, struggling to keep his cool. "Do you even know how dangerous that was?"

"And Kagamicchi," Kise turned to the redhead in question. "Why didn't you stop him?"

Kagami blinked, surprised that they'd actually included him in the conversation at all. "Huh?"

"The point is," Kuroko interjected. "We had to save the girl before anything happened, even if it meant facing Haizaki-kun."

Akashi's gaze towards him was steely. "We are _thieves_, Tetsuya. _Not_ heroes."

"Then what would you have done if you were there?" Kuroko demanded.

"I would wait," Akashi said. "And then I will plan."

"There won't be any time for plans. Her life was in danger!"

"And so were yours when you went after them," Akashi countered.

It was the first time Kagami heard Kuroko raise his voice. He felt uncomfortable sitting there. He had a feeling he was listening to a conversation he didn't belong in.

"I had Kagami-kun with me," Kuroko said, carefully controlling his tone. "So I wasn't worried."

"So you trust him more than you trust us?" Aomine asked, sounding crestfallen. "Is that why you went with him?"

"I couldn't take the risk," Kuroko explained. "We had to do something immediately. Kagami-kun and I just happened to cross paths this morning."

"You could have sent him to chase Haizaki first while you alert us," Kise protested.

"But Kagami-kun doesn't know the way through the forest," Kuroko said. "He could've gotten lost and would add to our problems."

"Look," Kagami finally spoke up. He couldn't take it anymore. "We went, and we came back safely. Kuroko is here and unhurt. So what's the point of all this? Whatever happened, has happened. This argument will only go in circles."

Aomine and Kise gave him a look like: _Stay out of this_.

There was a long moment of silence, and Kagami was starting to regret opening his mouth at all. Then Akashi sighed. "Unfortunately, Taiga has a point."

_Unfortunately?_

"But I will not let this matter go just like that," he continued. He turned to face Kuroko and Kagami. "Both of you will be on food duty for the next week."

Kagami let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Food duty wasn't that bad if you disregard the fact that you'll be the last ones to eat.

"And Tetsuya." The look in Akashi's eyes softened a fraction as he regarded the pale boy. "Promise me not to do something like that again. I know you don't want that incident to repeat, but just wait a while longer. We're working on it."

Kuroko held his gaze. "I can't make any guarantees."

"Please don't scare us like that again, Kurokocchi!" Kise was back to his whiny, teary self. "I almost _died_ this morning when I saw you missing from your spot."

"I'm sorry, Kise-kun, Aomine-kun." Despite himself, Kuroko almost cracked a smile. "I'll try not to do that again."

"You'll _try_ not to?" Aomine sounded doubtful. "Doesn't sound too convincing."

"Now that everything's settled," Akashi exhaled. "I would like some peace and quiet. So get out, all of you. We'll meet again during lunch."

Without any arguments, the others rose from their spot and headed out. Kagami was glad it was over. He didn't think he could handle another minute of that without snapping from the pressure. Now that he thought of it, wouldn't him facing the Prime Minister guy be the same thing? Ugh. That certainly didn't add to his excitement.

"Kagami-kun." Kuroko's voice jerked him out of his reverie. Kagami blinked, realizing with a start that he was going the opposite direction from where the shorter boy was heading.

"This way," Kuroko said, nodding towards the village square. "Food duty is starting."

Apparently, their task does not only consist if serving food to the other villagers and being the last ones to eat. As they walked, Kuroko explained that they also had to help set up the equipment and bring the steaming, freshly cooked edibles all the way from the kitchen area. Kagami remembered that Kise had been serving food on the first day he arrived. He wondered what he did to annoy Akashi. The possibilities were endless; from crying too much to stealing Akashi's favorite scissors.

The two boys made their way towards the kitchens to report for duty. Several familiar faces looked up and regarded them as soon as Kagami knocked, all looking surprised to see them standing there.

"Kagami?" Hyuuga was halfway scrubbing a pot clean. His arms were covered in soap all the way up to his elbows. "Why are you here?"

Kagami scratched his cheek sheepishly. "We.. _kinda_ got ourselves in trouble this morning. Akashi punished us to food duty."

The kitchen staff looked bewildered.

".._We_?" Kiyoshi asked, his eyebrows raised significantly.

Kuroko materialized beside the redhead. "Hello."

Almost half the people present were in danger of screaming out loud. Some flinched so hard, they dropped the items they were holding. Knifes and spatulas clattered on the ground. Fortunately, no one was holding filled pots or anything similar.

"W-W-When did you get there?" The slender brunette girl whom Kagami came to know as Riko, screeched. She held her hands over her heart, as if making sure it was still beating. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost. No one could blame her. Kuroko as close to one as he can get.

Kuroko furrowed his brows, as if the question offended him. "Since the beginning."

Kagami arched an eyebrow. Kuroko was angry? Usually he didn't care if he couldn't be noticed. Kagami guessed he had to be in a grumpy mood after that conversation with Akashi.

Riko's mouth opened and closed like a fish's as she struggled to comprehend. After a while, she seemed to understand that commenting was just meaningless and gave up. She exhaled once, and crossed her arms. "Well. If you boys are working under me, you better expect some hard work," she said, a ring of authority in her voice. "I will not tolerate laziness or any half-assed work. Let me find you being sloths," she paused, smiling sadistically as she cracked her knuckles. "And you should brace yourself for some painful days to come.

Kagami gulped. He'd heard about Riko's ruthlessness from the other guys sometimes, but he never thought facing the girl in person would be so much scarier. In one way, Riko was as fearsome as Akashi.

"Go set up the tents," Riko ordered. "You have exactly twenty minutes to get that done. Then come back here to fetch the food. Now get going!"

Kagami straightened, yelling an unnecessary "Yes, ma'am!" before rushing off to do his work. If what he'd heard was true, he wasn't keen to experience Riko's wrath. That girl could make even guys like Hyuuga tremble in fear.

"..Kagami-kun?" Kuroko jogged at his side. Kagami glanced down at him.

"Hmm?"

"Riko-san is scary."

"I know," Kagami laughed, reaching out to ruffle the shorter boy's hair. "Come on. Let's get to work."

**xXx**

Kuroko worked mechanically.

It was as if his body went on autopilot; raise bowl, scoop, tilt ladle. By his two hundredth bowl, Kuroko's mind had wandered off. His brain replayed the incident in that morning three days ago; how he'd willingly faced Haizaki to save the girl. Kuroko wondered where he'd found the courage from.

Then again, if Kagami wasn't there, he would probably mess things up and get himself caught. _Again_. Kuroko didn't want that. Kuroko wanted anything but that.

He'd never appreciated one's existence so much until this day.

Kuroko's thoughts shifted abruptly. He remembered the moment when he'd innocently wanted to help pluck those stray leaves from Kagami's hair. Their faces had been so close. Kuroko could still remember the warmth of Kagami's breath on his face. He remembered how the redhead's breathing had hitched as soon as he looked up and saw him. He remembered the temptation to just lean in so he could press his lips against Kagami's.

Somehow, he got the feeling that Kagami had also been resisting the urge to make his move during that time.

Kuroko knew he was probably blushing, but he didn't worry. He made sure he still showed no emotions. The air under the tent was stuffy and he was sweating quite a lot, so he could blame the color of his face on the heat. Heck, it was a miracle people could even _see_ him. Kuroko was actually expecting to be unnoticed while Kagami did all the work. Apparently, the bright orange apron he wore did a good job emphasizing his presence.

"Tetsuya onii-chan!"

Kuroko blinked, recognizing that voice. He stood on his tiptoes to peer over the towering pots. The girl he'd saved the other day - Neri - was standing before his station, a bowl in her outstretched hands. She was smiling widely.

"Hello, Neri-chan," Kuroko said as he reached down to take the bowl from her. He handed it back once it was filled.

The girl accepted her food, but unlike the rest of the villagers, she didn't walk away. Instead, she stood there, staring intently at Kuroko with her mouth agape like she was hesitating to say something. Kuroko noticed this, and raised his eyebrows.

"Anything wrong?" he asked.

Neri hesitated a moment more. Then she took a deep breath, and gathered her courage. "T-Thank you so much for saving me the other day, Tetsuya onii-chan!"

This was the fifteenth time in four days.

"You're welcome, Neri-chan," Kuroko tried for a smile, resisting the urge to sigh. Really, it was nothing.

"I will repay you for it next time," the girl continued. "Just wait for a few more years. When I grow up, I'll return your kindness. I promise!"

With that, she ran off. Kuroko gazed after her figure for a while before resuming his work. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kagami struggling to suppress a grin, as if the whole conversation amused him. Kuroko had to admit: that _was_ rather surprising. If the girl had stayed any longer, he doubted he could come up with a proper reaction to what she had just said.

The next hour passed in a blur. About a thousand more bowls later, their job was done. Kuroko was hungry, but Kagami was positively starving. He could hear his stomach growling above the sound of clanking pots and pans and various other kitchen related things. It must've taken all of Kagami's willpower not to scoop a bowl of food for himself halfway through.

"Good job, both of you." Kiyoshi walked over when they were taking off their aprons. "We'll handle the rest here. Go and eat."

The pair was more than happy to oblige. Kuroko proceeded to help himself with a normal sized serving, while Kagami hunted for the biggest bowl he could find before filling it with the remaining food. The best portions were all gone, but it was still better than being hungry.

Once they had their bowls filled, they headed back to their usual spot to join the rest of the Generation of Miracles and Momoi. As they neared them, Kuroko noticed that they were grimly discussing something. Akashi's expression was as hard as marble. Kise and Aomine were not fooling around for once. Midorima did not fiddle with the bandages on his fingers. Even Murasakibara had stopped chewing to listen.

Kuroko and Kagami paused in their tracks, both wondering if it was a good time to join in.

"…he'd somehow managed to sneak and stay in the main city," Momoi was giving some sort of report. Her usual flirty, easy-going attitude was gone. "He works in the shadows, doing some sort of forbidden trade. My sources tells me that it has something to do with human.. trafficking."

She trailed off, her features morphing into something pained. The rest were silent, deeply caught up in their own thoughts.

Kagami suddenly tensed. He wasn't the brightest guy around, but realization slowly dawned him. Names were not yet mentioned, but Kagami already knew who they were talking about. It all made sense now; why Kuroko was so scared when Haizaki made a reappearance; why the villagers had acted so paranoid and cautious as soon as the news broke out; why Kuroko had insisted to save the girl before it was too late.

That's it. Sometime in the past, Kuroko was..

"Anything else, Satsuki?" Akashi broke the silence, his fingers laced tightly.

"..Yes." Momoi chewed her lip. Her normally merry eyes glinted with dead seriousness. "But you will not like it."

"Go on," Akashi urged, narrowing his eyes.

Momoi inhaled. "It's about your plan, Akashi-kun. Haizaki has a quite a number of officials as his customers, and had spread the information throughout the city through them. It seems that they already know." She hesitated for a split second. "They know Kagami-kun is here."


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't know what am I trying to achieve with this chapter =u=ll. not much progress with the story here, just revelations. lots of it. I hope. **

**So to whoever who had successfully guessed all this, congratulations! I'm really easy to read, huh? lol /shot**

**On the side note, I actually made it in time ouo. I ACTUALLY MADE IT IN TIME KALHFDKSAHF**

**nothing better than some inspiration, silence, and a writing streak. i'm guessing they'll be a lot of mistakes though ouo. **

**Just a reminder: I'll be away for a about week from this coming Sunday onward, so expect a late follow up ;;u;;. I'm sorry!**

**derp. feel free to point out my mistakes. KuroBasu isn't mine. if further confusion occurs, please read the A/N at the end of the chapter. if it stills persists, feel free to PM me about it ouo.**

**EDIT: I FORGOT. *hits self* Join the 'We Love Kuroko" project in tumblr to show your support to this series! The deadline was the first of December, but its not too late! For more info, go search for their tumblr acc: welovekuroko. **

* * *

Surprisingly, Murasakibara was the first person who noticed them. The others were too focused with the conversation.

"Ah. It's Kuro-chin and Kagami," the purple haired giant said when he saw the pair standing there. The rest of the group turned their attention on them, staring so intently that Kagami had to resist the urge to fidget. They looked surprised, as if they didn't expect them to finish their work so early. Only Akashi had this calculating look in his eyes, determining just how much Kagami and Kuroko had heard.

"Are we interrupting something?" Kuroko asked, almost sounding casual. His bowl of food was cold. Kagami decided to let him do the talking. He would probably give away the fact that they'd overheard possibly the most important part of the conversation as soon as he opens his mouth.

"Not at all,' Akashi said. His tone was light, but there was a hint of wariness in it. "I see that both of you are done with your duties."

Kuroko nodded, making his way towards the group. With slight reluctance, Kagami followed suit.

The group was unusually silent as soon as the pair joined them, which was a bit unnerving. Kagami thought it felt like the calm before a storm. He found himself bracing for something - though he wasn't sure _what_.

"Taiga."

Kagami's attention snapped up. "Y-Yeah?"

"You heard what Satsuki said." Akashi's tone made it a statement, not a question.

Kagami didn't see any reason to deny. "Only the last part."

"So you know that they've found out about you being in this village."

He nodded. "Yes."

Akashi's eyes were stormy. "We have a change of plans."

Kagami stared at him wide eyed. He would _suicide_ if he told him that they no longer needed the script that he'd painstakingly memorized. "Wait. _What_?"

"We'll still be using the script," Akashi said, waving his hand dismissively. It was as if he'd read his mind. _Scary_. "But we'll try a different way of approaching."

He explained what he had in mind, and the temperature seemed to drop several degrees in a few minutes. For the umpteenth time, Kagami started to regret his decision on agreeing to help them. Akashi's plan was dangerous, risky, and probably not very _sane_. But it also made a lot of sense. Compared to the millions of other possibilities, it would be the easiest way.

Kagami suddenly lost all his appetite. His cold meal of meat stew didn't seem so mouth watering anymore. But it wasn't from nervousness. In fact, he wasn't that intimidated at all. Something else was boiling inside him, making his stomach churn; something more intense, fiery. At first, Kagami was hesitant with everything because he thought it didn't concern him. He thought he was just an unfortunate traveler dragged into the villagers' problems. It was different now. He had lived with them, served their food, washed their dishes, shared the same bathing spot, and even _saved_ one of them. No, Kagami no longer felt like a stranger. He was one of them now. The village was also his home.

Which was why he felt anger and resentment boiling within him. _He wants to mess with us_? _Well bring it on!_ Kagami wasn't going to let one person - especially _that_ one person - ruin everything they'd all worked for. Haizaki could spread all the stories he want. Kagami would still do what he was there to do.

Kagami could tell that the group gathered there was also thinking of the same thing. There were no traces of shock on their faces; just indignation. Haizaki _dares_ look down on them by using such a trick? Well, they planned on rubbing it hard on his face by showing that his actions were futile. They will still win, regardless of what he does.

"It's crazy," Kagami spoke up, breaking the silence. "But I suppose it's the best shot we got."

Akashi nodded. "Indeed."

Kagami exhaled slowly through his mouth. "I guess I'm crazy, then." A feral smile graced his lips. "I'm in."

**xXx**

The meeting/gathering/conversation adjourned soon after Kagami declared himself crazy. Kagami stayed behind with Kuroko while the rest of them went back to their daily routines. Kise wanted to stay behind with his Kurokocchi a little while longer, but he couldn't since Akashi assigned him to go to the main city with Aomine. The bluenette didn't look happy with that either, but he gave in. Unlike _some_ upstarts, _he_ valued his life.

Kagami scooped a spoonful of stew into his mouth. Maybe it was because it was cold, but it tasted awful. The meat was hard and difficult to swallow. The gravy was too salty. The vegetables still tasted raw.

It was all nothing compared to the silence that befell to two of them.

Conversations with Kuroko had always been hard to start. And to top it off, Kagami wasn't much of a talker either. But once they'd warmed up to each other, it was okay. Kagami would talk, and Kuroko would listen. Kuroko would talk, and Kagami would listen. It was as simple as that.

Now everything felt awkward. The quietness felt suffocating. Kagami didn't know what to do. Should he say something? Crap about the weather? Bemoan his exhaustion from kitchen duty? Ask if Kuroko's feet were getting better?

Mention that one part of the conversation earlier that they'd accidentally overheard?

"..Kagami-kun is amazing."

Kagami averted his gaze to the pale boy. "_Eh_?"

Kuroko kept his eyes trained on his bandaged feet, as if he suddenly found them extremely interesting. "You're still willing to help us despite knowing how much danger you'll be putting yourself in, Kagami-kun. You're amazing."

Kagami blushed, taken aback by the unexpected praise. Then he broke into a wan smile. "I just didn't want to think that I'd wasted all those days of memorizing for nothing."

"Still," Kuroko shifted his legs. "It takes a lot of guts to agree on following Akashi's plans. Especially that one we've just discussed."

"I guess you could say that I'm fond of challenges." Kagami shrugged. "And to be honest, I'm kinda fired up this time."

Kuroko lifted his head, regarding the redhead. "Why so?"

"Because by doing this, we'll indirectly be going against what Haizaki plans to do." Kagami grinned. "I'm _so_ looking forward to seeing his face when all this is over and done with."

Kuroko was insanely good at keeping a stoic mask, but Kagami had learnt over the weeks to look at the shorter's pale blue eyes whenever he wanted to figure out his emotions. With a smile still on his face, Kagami watched as the fear temporarily flickered in Kuroko's eyes at the mention of Haizaki's name. It wasn't the first time. Kagami had seen that look in his eyes several times before.

"What happened last time?" Kagami blurted out before he could stop himself. He'd expected him to avoid the topic, but Kuroko only once again fixed his gaze on the ground. He sighed, as if he had anticipated and dreaded this moment. He _did_ promise to tell Kagami everything.

His fingers clenched the bowl he was holding tighter. "..Five years ago," he started, but paused abruptly, hesitating.

"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to," Kagami quickly said, waving his hands elaborately. Kuroko shook his head, indicating that he was fine.

Kuroko took in a deep breath. "Five years ago, I was kidnapped and sold in the city. And the person behind it all was Haizaki-kun."

**xXx**

"Kurokocchi~! Can I stay over at your place tonight?"

Kuroko turned to look at their newest recruit. Kise Ryouta had only become part of the Generation of Miracles two days ago. The blonde was like the sun; always warm, cheery and smiling. The flames of the small bonfire they'd set up casted a bronze glow on his pale skin. When Kuroko and Akashi first found him, he was half dead. He warmed up to them quickly enough. After a while, Kuroko thought - as mean as it seems - Kise resembled a puppy, since he was so eager to please and was always demanding for attention.

But somehow, Kuroko felt fond of that overflowing positive energy of his. With Kise there, their days almost felt livelier. Wait. Not almost. It was _definitely_ livelier with him around.

"Are you kidding, Ryouta?" A boy materialized behind Kuroko, casually draping an arm around the smaller. "We're growing guys, you know. Who knows when you might just have the urge and do something to our little Tetsuya?"

Any person who is not blind would probably be able to notice how uncomfortable Kuroko was under Haizaki's touch. But Kuroko was too polite to say anything.

Haizaki was one of the very first members of the Generation of Miracles, along with Akashi and Kuroko. Even at the age of ten, he was very tall and had a large built. His pale blond hair was a rat's nest. He had a playful grin plastered on his face, but even Kise couldn't see it as amiable. No one could explain why, but Haizaki just gave off this dangerous vibe whenever he was around, which was really unsettling.

Haizaki stole for fun, for one thing. Unlike the rest of the Miracles, who stole out of sheer desperation to keep the village alive, Haizaki stole for his own enjoyment. He could care less about the village and the villagers. Akashi had threatened more than once to tied him up and dangle him in mid air on a tree branch if he were to enter the main city without proper reason again, but of course, Haizaki ignored him. He was one of the only people in the world that actually _dared_ to disobey Akashi on daily basis.

"Haizaki-kun," Kuroko's voice was a monotone. "You're heavy."

"Eh? Really?" Haizaki barked out a laugh. He untangled himself from the pale boy. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Why do you always think so negatively?" Kise pouted, offended by Haizaki earlier statement. "I won't dare do anything to Kurokocchi! _Sheesh_!"

"Hey, I was just joking," Haizaki said lightly.

"At any rate," Kuroko cut in before the two could start an argument. "You can't, Kise-kun."

Kise's face fell. Tears filled his eyes as he turned back to Kuroko. "Why?"

"You have to learn to sleep alone," Kuroko said calmly. "You can't expect to be afraid of the dark forever."

"But-"

Kise's protest was cut short when Kuroko stood up, obviously unwilling to change his mind.

"Now if you'll excuse me," Kuroko said, not even looking back. "I've got some cleaning to do before bedtime."

"You're so mean, Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko walked off, pretending not to hear that. Once he no longer heard Kise's loud whines and was sure he was away from the blonde's sight, Kuroko tilted his head skywards, gazing at the full moon that somehow seemed unnaturally large that night. A soft sigh escaped from his lips. He was so tired. He'd spent the whole day running here and there, courtesy of Akashi - who, wanted to get him used to sneaking into the city. Kuroko was still trying hard to control his nerves whenever he was there to steal.

Saying that he had cleaning to do was just an excuse. Kuroko wanted some peace and quiet, and he doubted he could get that if Kise were to be there. Now that his adrenaline was gone and he had a full stomach, Kuroko's eyelids began to droop. He shook his head roughly in an attempt to keep himself awake. He just needed to stay awake until he reaches his home.

Kuroko barely made it. He stumbled in through the front door, landing face first on his pillow that was conveniently placed right there on the floor. He let out a big yawn, turning on his side. He closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek against the softness of the pillow to find that one comfortable spot. And then he drifted off to sleep.

Kuroko always slept lightly, and would always be woken up by the slightest of sound that his ears deemed unusual. But that night was an exception. By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late. His arms and legs were already tied up. A piece of cloth was stuffed into his mouth. In a fit of panic, Kuroko opened his eyes, but all he could see was darkness.

A hand circled around his upper arm, yanking him upright from his sleeping position. Kuroko trashed, but the grip on him was like steel. The air around him suddenly stopped moving. It was stuffy. He couldn't breathe. His fingers touched canvas, and with growing dread, Kuroko knew he was trapped in some kind of cloth sack. He was being kidnapped.

Kuroko felt himself being lifted off the ground. His captor was taking him somewhere. There was the main problem. Kuroko didn't know who the person is. He didn't wake up in time to catch even a glimpse of the person. Kuroko cursed his own carelessness.

Kuroko had tried hard while he fought exhaustion. He'd strained against the bonds on his limbs. He'd tried spitting out the cloth so he could call for help. He'd tried to reach the back of his head to untie the blindfold around his eyes. He'd even tried bumping onto his captor - hard - in an attempt to make him release him.

But everything was futile. Kuroko had never felt so helpless. He tried calming his heartbeat to think of a decent plan. But he was scared and tired. He couldn't think straight. What's going to happen to him now?

After a while, Kuroko realized that they'd stopped moving. He was set down roughly on the ground. Everything was silent except for his heavy breathing. Kuroko stayed very still, and waited, bracing himself for the worst.

And that was when he heard the voices.

"About time. How much is she?"

The first voice obviously belonged to a man; gravelly and rough. Kuroko didn't recognize it. The man wasn't anyone he knew.

"It's a boy. I couldn't get you a girl."

Kuroko tensed, eyes widening.

"Are you kidding me? What do you want me to do with a _boy_?"

"Oh, compared to most girls, he's even better. I assure you that."

The second voice. Kuroko _knew_ that voice.

"Let me see how he looks like," the man demanded.

"Yes, yes." Haizaki sounded fairly irritated. What was _Haizaki_ doing? Kuroko felt the canvas around him shift, and for a brief moment, he could inhale fresh air again. Unfortunately, he wasn't given a chance to enjoy the moment. A thick stench of alcohol and tobacco promptly invaded his nostrils.

"Hmm," the man hummed as he ran a finger under Kuroko chin. Kuroko wanted to swat that hand away, but he had yet to break free of his bonds. All he could do was to bite down hard on his gag and endure it. "A little thin, don't you think?"

"All children there are thin," Haizaki stated nonchalantly.

Kuroko wanted so badly to cover every bit of his own exposed skin as he felt hungry eyes trained on his whole body. Or even better. He wanted to run off, to sprint back home as fast as he could to crawl into a hole and hide. But with his feet tied up, he knew he couldn't make it far even if he tried. Belatedly, he regretted not letting Kise accompany him for the night.

"Beautiful skin, huh?" Haizaki crooned, watching the man practically salivate over Kuroko's alabaster figure. The man could only nod as he moved to feel Kuroko's soft, silky blue hair with his fingers.

"State your price," he said.

_Price_? Kuroko's mind quickly processed what was happening. He was being sold. He didn't know where, but he got the feeling it was somewhere in the city. Panic surged through his veins. He'd heard of children being sold as slaves or child prostitutes in the city, and he'd hated all those stories. Now it was happening to him. Oh god. Why was Haizaki doing this? What's going on?

Kuroko renewed his struggles on his bonds. He didn't want this. He was not going to let them have him. He had to escape. Somehow.

"Whoa. Calm down, boy."

_Calm down?_ How the heck does that filthy man expect him to calm down in this situation?

"I guess we have no choice."

A piece of cloth was held over Kuroko's nose. Kuroko held his breath for as long as he could. His heart was going crazy. His lungs ached. Finally, he gave up. He had to breathe. He inhaled once, tentatively, slowly, but that was enough. All he could remember before his mind blacked out was the scent of some sort of chemical.

When he came to again, Kuroko noticed several differences. His mouth was sore and dry, but he was no longer gagged. His legs were not tied up. His hands were tied above his head instead of behind his back.

Kuroko opened his eyes. He still could not see anything, which meant he still had that stupid blindfold on. His limbs felt heavy as lead. His mind was groggy, but he managed to remember what happened. That's right. He was about to be sold before he was drugged.

Panic, fear, and anxiety cleared his brain quickly enough, but once again, Kuroko felt helpless to the point of frustration. He could barely lift a finger, much less struggle against the thick ropes that circled his wrists and bound them to some kind of pole. The stuff that he'd inhaled must still be in his system. He could only lie there, praying again and again and again that someone would come to his rescue.

The loud bang of the door almost made him jump out of his skin. He could hear labored footsteps making their way towards him, as if the person who'd entered was dragging his legs across the floor rather than walking properly. The smell of alcohol that followed was nauseating.

Kuroko knew at once that he was in danger. But he couldn't do anything. His whole body was quaking. He was so scared. He wanted to scream, but since that piece of cloth was removed from his mouth, he knew that screaming was probably useless. No one would hear him. His fate was sealed.

The sinking feeling in his heart grew worst when he felt a presence over him. _This is it_, he thought. _I have no choice but to endure it. _

And that was the start of a nightmare. Kuroko hated, above everything, the _hands_ the most. They slipped under the ragged shirt he wore, and roamed everywhere around his body; his chest, his back, his arms, his legs. Kuroko's weak squirms only seemed to encourage them. They were greedy, always seeking to touch his porcelain skin more. Kuroko tried shutting everything out, especially the awful feeling of being touched at the most intimate places that made him want to kick the man in the soft spot. He shut his eyes tight, and took in shuddering breaths. He bit his lip so hard, blood started gushing out of the damaged flesh. _Just a little longer_, he kept on telling himself. Just a little longer and it'll be over. Then he would make his escape. He wasn't sure how, but he will.

Kuroko started screaming around the time the licks and bites started. He couldn't take it any longer. Everything felt disgusting and wrong. He was being violated. He didn't know he could even produce such a loud sound, but it wasn't a time for him to care. He screamed and screamed, hoping and _hoping_ that someone would hear and save him. He wanted this to stop. This _had_ to stop.

"Tetsu!"

Part of Kuroko that hadn't gone crazy with fear heard it. Someone was calling his name. And there was only one person who called him that.

"Kurokocchi! Where are you?!"

Kuroko almost sobbed with relief. They were here. They were here to save him. Knowing that gave him newfound strength. Taking in one deep breath, Kuroko shouted in the loudest voice he'd ever used in his life.

"Aomine-kun! Kise-kun! I'm here!"

The man on top of him grunted in confusion, wondering why had this kid under him suddenly shouted a full sentence instead of his incoherent screams. He hadn't even processed it all when the door slammed open.

He wasn't sure what surprised him more; the fact that a group of _children_ were standing at the entrance of his room, or the fact that once of them was actually strong enough to haul a grown adult off the bed and onto the floor.

"You bastard!" Aomine yelled at him, his eyes burning with rage. He grabbed the man by his collar and shook him. "How dare you do that to him?! I'll kill you!"

Meanwhile, Kise released Kuroko from his bonds. When he removed the pale boy's blindfold, he realized one thing that scared him badly. Kuroko, who was always emotionless, calm, and stoic as far as he knew, was crying uncontrollably.

Kise's first instinct was to hug his friend tightly, pressing Kuroko's head against his chest. "It's okay, Kurokocchi," he said softly, blinking back his own tears. He had to stay strong for now. He could cry later. "We're here. It's okay now."

Kuroko only cried harder, fisting the front of Kise's shirt with his hands. Akashi, Midorima and Murasakibara had gathered around them now. Kise rubbed Kuroko's arms soothingly, trying to stop him from shaking. Guilt washed over him like a wave. He should've insisted on staying over earlier.

"Tetsu." Aomine walked over, having done dealing with the man who was anything but sober. He paused in his tracks upon seeing Kuroko's condition. He saw how terrified he was. He saw just how badly he was shaking. And then he started feeling scared. Aomine was afraid - afraid that something in his precious Tetsu had been permanently broken. He was afraid that after all this, Kuroko will never be the same again.

And it was all their fault. It was their fault for acting too late.

"Akashi," Aomine's voice quavered when he spoke. "Will he.. Is Tetsu going to be alright?"

Akashi had one hand on Kuroko's shoulder. His mismatched eyes were full of pain. He didn't meet Aomine's gaze. His fists were clenched hard. Aomine could tell that even the redhead was blaming himself for everything. "I.. don't know, Daiki. I don't know."

Aomine cursed once under his breath before walking over to join his companions. He knelt down before Kuroko's curled up figure, and reached out, tenderly stroking the shorter boy's hair. He felt a pang of pain in his chest, and had to swallow the lump forming in his throat before he could speak. "Come on, Tetsu. Let's get you home."

**xXx**

"Haizaki-kun disappeared right after the whole incident, but Akashi-kun and the others tracked him down. Then.. I don't know what happened. I was only told that much. Akashi-kun must have said something to him, as Haizaki-kun left us alone for a long time - long enough for me to recover and get on with life. But he still returned occasionally, as how he did recently," Kuroko said. The whole time he told his story, he kept his gaze fixed on the wooden floor of his home. His eyes had a vacant look in them, as if he was replaying everything from scratch in his mind. "With each return, he attempted to take someone with him. He almost got Kise-kun and Momoi-san once, but we managed to stop him in time." Kuroko paused for a breath. It's been a while since he said so much at once. "So now you know why we feel so paranoid as soon as the word is spread. We never know who will be taken."

Kagami stared at his pale companion in stunned silence. His eyes were wide and his mouth was agape with bewilderment. He did the math. _Five years ago_. They were all fifteen now. Which meant Kuroko had to go through that nightmare when he was only ten. That confirmed his suspicions and explained everything. Kagami now understood why Kuroko was terrified of Haizaki. That bastard dared to do that much when he was ten. Imagine what other horrors he could do after so many years.

Part of him also wondered: who was more twisted? The people of the main city who were willing to buy innocent kids to satisfy their impure desires or Haizaki who, at the age of _ten_, was willing to sell his own friend to those bastards just to get some cash?

"Gosh, Kuroko," Kagami said when he'd finally found his voice. He raked his hand through his already messy hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"I didn't want to tell you this," Kuroko admitted, almost sounding guilty. Kagami wasn't sure why.

"Because you're afraid?" he guessed. "Because you wanted to forget everything?"

Slowly, Kuroko nodded. "Yes. And.. I didn't want you pitying me."

Kagami wrinkled his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"You were the first person in a long time," Kuroko explained. "Who didn't look at me like you might just loose me any day. And you were also the first person to no treat me like a delicate piece of pottery that could be broken by the slightest touch. I've gotten over everything. I wanted to be stronger, but everyone just wouldn't let me. I didn't want you to know, because I'm afraid that you might just end up treating me like everyone else."

"Then," Kagami started. "Then why did you tell me anyway?"

Kuroko finally turned to face him. He stared at him skeptically with those big, honest blue eyes of his. Only now did Kagami realize that they had a shattered look in them. "Because I trust you, Kagami-kun. I trust you not to do that."

Kagami wasn't sure how to react then. Should he feel happy? Honored? Embarrassed? He must've been making a _very_ strange face, because despite everything, Kuroko suddenly let out one loud snort.

"_What_?" Kagami demanded, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"N-Nothing," Kuroko stammered, trying hard to control his laughing fit. For a moment there, Kagami was almost worried that Kuroko had lost it. "It's just - Kagami-kun's face-" And he started chuckling all over again.

"My.. face?" The redhead turned towards the small piece of broken mirror hanging above Kuroko's sink. His own reflection stared back, making a face like he was having a bad case of constipation.

Kagami wanted to stay angry. _Really_, he did. But he found his frown fading, replaced by a smile. Then a grin. And then he too, laughed. He was looking like _that_ the whole time? He was glad no one came barging into the place when they were having that solemn conversation. The laughter that would follow would ruin the mood.

It was the first time he'd heard Kuroko chuckle like that, and it was strangely contagious. The tension broke. Kagami felt relieved that Kuroko was still sane. He had to respect him for his mental strength. He wasn't sure if he could even keep on _living_ after that experience, let alone _laugh_.

Kagami knew he wasn't mistaken when he called Kuroko strong.

"I guess I'm honored," Kagami said as a reply to Kuroko's earlier statement. He reached out, and ruffled the shorter boy's hair. "Thanks. For believing in me."

Kuroko had gradually stopped laughing. Strangely, he didn't protest about Kagami's gesture. "You told me a lot about yourself. It's only fair for me to do the same."

Kagami retracted his hand. "I guess so."

"So what are you going to do?" Kuroko had reverted back to his usual emotionless self. "Now that you know what's going on."

Kagami thought about it. "I'm not very smart," he started slowly. "But judging from what we heard just now, Akashi and the others are probably planning something else behind our back. I'm guessing it has something to do with stopping Haizaki."

Kuroko nodded. "I'm having a vague suspicion about that too."

"I will not involve myself with that," Kagami said. "We'll leave that to them."

Kuroko wrinkled his brows. "So what are you trying to say?"

"Even if Haizaki is stopped, there's no guarantee that there's no one else out there that's like him." Kagami's eyes shone with determination. "I'll make them respect us. I'll show them that the people here aren't as lowly as they think."

His declaration brought a small smile on Kuroko's face. For the umpteenth time, he silently marveled at just how amazing Kagami was.

"We'll be counting on you, then," he said. Kagami grinned back at him, full of confidence.

"Ah."

**xXx**

Haizaki was thoroughly pissed off.

He only had that much patience. He hadn't been able to make a good 'catch' for months now, and his clients were starting to get grumpy. Not to mention the fact that he was also running short on a little something called money.

Cursing aloud, he kicked a pebble with the tip of his shoe and sent it flying several meters in front of him. He was already having quite some trouble dealing with those Miracle brats alone, and now a foreigner just had to interfere. Haizaki rubbed his left cheek bone. What was that guy's name again? Kag-something or another? At any rate, he was so going to hunt that guy down and pay him back for almost disfiguring his face.

Haizaki knew Akashi enough to guess that the redhead has some kind of plan involving the foreigner. He failed to stop the smile from creeping onto his face. He knew Akashi would think of another way (let's face it, that guy _always_ does), but it still felt good to spread those rumors and perhaps ruin their plans a little. They'd interfered with his job long enough.

"You sure are confident, wandering around by yourself in such a dark night."

The voice that had suddenly spoken caught Haizaki by surprise. He stopped in his tracks, looking around for its source. The trees and bushes around him rustled. Aomine and Kise rose from some bushes, casually brushing leaves off their clothes. Midorima materialized from behind a tree. Haizaki turned around, only to find his way blocked by a giant; Murasakibara.

All of them stared at him coldly, eyes hard with anger. Haizaki was surrounded.

"Hello, Shougo." Akashi materialized behind him, arms crossed. His faced showed that he will not hesitate to kill, necessary or not. "It has been a while."

* * *

**So for those of you who realized, I stated that everything happened five years before the main storyline. If you go back and skim through the first chapter, I also stated that the GoM was in action for five years. and some chapters back, I mentioned that Kise joined them about a year after they were formed. So you'll most probably be wondering: _what the heck is Kise doing there_?. so to clear THAT up: **

**the keyword is the word '_about_'. I never mentioned specifically just when Kise joined them. to make it simple, let's put it this way: the GoM was officially formed on February. Kise joined them maybe about eight months later? Which means it'll be October - if my maths skills have not completely died - and its still in the same year. I know, its confusing. It took me a while to come up with something at least A LITTLE logical to explain that. but if it's still confusing and refusing to make any sense, then just inform me. I'll do the necessary changes. Thank you for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**so I'm late ouo. /dodges plates and various cutlery flying my way**

**eheh ^^'. I apologize. as I've told you guys, I was away for a week after completing the previous chappie. and by the time I came back and settled down, I was focusing on writing a KuroBasu Christmas fic, which some of you may or may not have read. Feel free to give it a try if you think its worth your time ouo. **

**/shot for shameless advertising. **

**I'm not sure how many things got done in this chapter. I personally feel that the sudden time skip/rush is necessary since I've practical used up all my ideas /shot. but yeah. the reason I did this because I was unable to come up with anything more. **

**Speaking of anything more, I guess you guys should know that the next chapter or the one after the next will probably be the last for this story. Mainly because as I had said: I ran out of ideas. My holidays are also over as soon as New Year's comes along, so I figured I should just spare you guys the wait and get it all over with. I'll be busy settling in with everything for the first few months of school, so I guess my updates will slow down too. In fact, I think I'll just stick to one-shots when I finish this.**

**ah well. KuroBasu is not mine. Feel free to point out my mistakes when you spot one. And while I'm at it, Happy (advanced) New Year! :D**

**I'll leave it to your imaginations on what happened to Haizaki ;D /shot**

* * *

Akashi was in a good mood, and that wasn't the problem.

Much to Kagami's surprise/worry/fear, the rest of the Generation of Miracles - save Kuroko - were acting like they'd won a lottery or something. Kagami would be a real stupid idiot if he was to think that nothing was wrong.

But all that didn't really bother him. They could be driven to insanity for all he cared. What caught him off guard was the fact that his deadline was only two more weeks away.

Kagami was confident, yes, but that didn't mean he had prepared himself for everything. To his dismay when he checked, he still had a good half a stack of script left to memorize. With all those distractions around him for the last few weeks, Kagami had failed to get anything done. It took him so long to memorize the first half. The remaining was obviously impossible to him to stuff into his brain in just two weeks.

Kagami considered asking Akashi to cut him some slack while he had the chance. Maybe the guy will take pity on him or something.

Kagami leaned back and exhaled slowly. Who was he kidding. This was _Akashi_ he was talking about. He wouldn't do anything like that even when the world splits apart. Expect maybe with Kuroko, but that's besides the point. Kagami dumped the idea almost immediately. No point gambling in something that guarantees his lost.

"Ah. You're here."

Kagami turned lazily to the door. After all that thought, he was starting to give up a little on life. "Yo."

If Kuroko noticed his despair, he didn't let on. The shorter quietly trudged into his home, his face as mask free of emotions as usual. He walked right past Kagami, making his way to the sink.

"..The kids are coming over later," he said, not even turning to look as he pooled some water into his cupped hands before splashing his face. He exhaled softly in relief. After standing under the sun for the last hour, the cooling liquid was bliss to his skin.

"Ehhh," Kagami closed his eyes and suppressed a sigh. Great. He was facing an impossible deadline and there Kuroko was bringing that herd of little noise makers into the house. It wasn't that Kagami _hated_ the children. He'd even miraculously came to like them, in fact. But the timing was definitely not the best. Kagami guessed he'd have to find a shade in the forest and separate himself from the human population for a while later.

Kuroko made his way towards the redhead after wiping off the excess water from his face. He settled down on the floor opposite to Kagami. "What's wrong?"

Kagami opened his eyes. Kuroko had his head tilted slightly to the side, a small glint of curiosity and worry in his big blue eyes. Huh. Kagami realized he made a mistake thinking that there was something different only with the rest of the Generation of Miracles. Now that he looked closely, Kagami noticed that Kuroko looked more relaxed. The tension was gone from his shoulders - Kagami could see from the way they were set. Kuroko no longer looked constantly on edge. His eyes no longer had that hunted look in them.

"Kagami-kun?"

Kagami blinked out of his reverie, and instantly felt heat rising to his face. Damn. He'd been staring.

"H-Huh?" Even better. He managed to stutter. "N-Nothing's wrong."

Kuroko stared at him doubtfully some more. Kagami silently cursed those puppy-like eyes of his.

"I should be the one asking," he said, trying to sound exasperated. When he got a confused look from the shorter boy in response, he added; "You guys seem to be in a really pleasant mood these days. Did something happen?"

Kuroko looked genuinely surprised. "You mean you don't know?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I knew, idiot," Kagami sighed.

There was a short moment of silence before the shorter spoke up again. "It's Haizaki-kun."

It was Kagami's turn to stare. "What?"

"He's not coming back," Kuroko assured. "Akashi-kun and the others took care of it."

Kagami didn't bother asking how. Knowing that particular bunch of people, anything could've happened; from threats to deals. Heck, Akashi could've even killed him without any second thoughts. Aomine too, considering just how much all of them _loathed_ Haizaki.

Kagami didn't feel any pity for the guy at all.

"Well, at least that's settled," he said, a grin tugging his lips. Kagami felt oddly happy, not just because he had one distraction off his list.

"Now it's your turn," Kuroko said. "What's wrong?"

At times, Kagami hated just how persistent Kuroko could be. His smile faded as he heaved another sigh. "What's the date today?"

Kuroko looked at him uncomprehendingly. "Sorry?"

"Two weeks," Kagami grumbled. "That's my deadline."

Kuroko didn't seem like he understood at first. Then his eyes widened a fraction as realization dawned him. Upon seeing his reaction, Kagami nodded in confirmation.

"I've only got two weeks left here," he said. "Then we'll be doing what we've been planning to do. The problem now is this," he motioned to the stack of papers to his right. "I'll never be able to finish memorizing this in time. I can hardly remember the first few pages!"

Kagami knew he was sounding like some whiny kid, but he didn't care. The stress was driving him crazy. He started his journey around the world mainly because he couldn't stand a quiet, uniformed life. He didn't want to stay home to work because he knew he would have to face crisis like deadlines no matter what job he took.

Fate was laughing at his face, he was sure of it. So much for trying to live a stress-free life.

"Sorry," Kagami apologized after realizing that he'd unintentionally raised his voice. Kuroko shook his head to indicate that it was fine. Was it just him, or does Kuroko look a little.. _sad_? Kagami could've mistaken that look as a look of guilt, but he was sure he was right.

"It didn't occur to me," Kuroko admitted, averting his gaze. "I should've asked them not to come."

"_Eh_?" Kagami blinked. "Oh, no, it's alright. I'll just go somewhere else. I won't be able to stand being cooped up in here all day anyway."

Kuroko didn't meet his eyes. "Still. It was inconsiderate of me."

"I told you it's fine, didn't I?" Kagami said in frustration. "Just let them come over and hang out a bit. I'm sure they were all worried about you since you were acting so strange the last few times."

Kuroko kept his gaze on the spot next to his right foot. "I suppose."

"Hey, Kuroko." The tone in the bluenette's voice was really starting to bother Kagami. "You okay?"

Kuroko lifted his head, and his face was emotionless as it had always been. "Yes."

_Damn_, he was good at hiding his feelings. Kagami respected that at first, but now it was getting really annoying. He could never figure out exactly what's going on in the other's mind.

"You sure?" Kagami asked.

Kuroko nodded. "What makes you think I'm not?"

_Well, I'm not the brightest guy around and all that, but your body language and eyes are showing that you're obviously unsettled by something. Not to mention the fact that you just refused to look at me a few minutes ago when we're talking and I don't know why-_

"I guess I'm just thinking too much," Kagami said with a shrug. He turned to glare at his stack of papers with distaste. "Looks like I'll be dating you for the day again," he told it.

Fortunately, it did not respond.

"_Tetsuya onii-chan!"_

Kuroko perked up at the voice. "Looks like they're here."

"Okay then," Kagami huffed as he got on his legs. He bent down and picked his script up. "I'll see you later in the evening."

"Be careful out there, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said.

Kagami snorted. He's been in the forest for so many times and he worries now? "I will."

Kagami then turned around, and headed outside, unable to shake the feeling that something was bothering Kuroko a lot.

**xXx**

Kuroko heaved an inaudible sigh when Kagami was out of sight.

Two weeks? That was all the time Kagami had left? Kuroko was confused. He couldn't decide whether to feel happy, sad, or anxious. He was slightly worried about Akashi's plan. He knew the heterochromatic boy would never make mistakes, but _still_. Human beings were famous for their unpredictability. There were still risks in Akashi's plan, no matter how much he claims it to be foolproof.

Kuroko knew he should be happy for Kagami. Just a dozen more days and he'll be released from the heavy burden that he'd been carrying on his shoulders. Kagami would finally be able to resume his carefree life.

Yet, why did Kuroko feel his chest ache when he thought about Kagami leaving? It was frightening. Had he became so attached to the redhead that he no longer wants him to leave? Had Kagami somehow unconsciously managed to wriggle his way into a spot in Kuroko's heart?

Had Kuroko really came to fall for that energetic, impulsive redhead? Is that why he was feeling so?

He had no time to ponder over the thought. The first of the children came tumbling in through his doorstep, full of excitement. He was followed by the whole herd.

Kuroko snapped out of his reverie and stood back to make way and avoid being trampled on. He watched as the children came pouring into his house. He worked to put his stoic face back on as he waited for them to settle down. He had to do it. He was sure his dilemma was showing, albeit slightly.

"Onii-chan!"

Kuroko found himself being tackled by a little girl. He looked down, surprised. "What's wrong?"

Other children joined the girl, and Kuroko was trapped in a large-scale embrace. He looked around, unable to comprehend what was going on.

"Is it okay now? Is everything going to be okay now?" A boy asked, his large eyes staring hopefully at the bluenette.

"Can we really go outside and play without a curfew now?" Another girl said.

It took a moment, but Kuroko finally understood. He reached down, and gently patted the heads of the nearest children gathered around him.

"Yes," he answered with a soft smile. "Everything's alright now. You don't have to worry anymore."

Dozens of pairs of eyes looked up to him with adoration and relief. Then the first cheer was let out, followed by several choruses of assent. Some jumped around, whooping loudly. Others hugged each other and laughed.

Seeing them made Kuroko momentarily forget his own inner turmoil. The children led such simple and innocent lives. Kuroko suddenly felt glad that he'd helped made it so. He felt glad that they didn't need to suffer as he did back when he was a child.

"But then," a girl voices out when the cheers had toned down. She looked straight at Kuroko, her eyebrows knitted worriedly. "Why does Tetsuya nii-chan look so down?"

Kuroko blinked. "Eh?"

"Onii-chan's smiling," she continued, tilting her head to the side. "But your eyes look so sad."

His eyes? Kuroko briefly glanced at the mirror. He couldn't see anything different with them. They looked like how they always do; sky blue and deadpanned. Come to think of it, Kagami seemed to be able to read him a little better lately too. Is that it? Is it because he'd somehow learnt to read his eyes instead of his face?

But the age difference between Kagami and the children before him was big. The kids should not be wise enough to know that yet. They should still be wading in their ignorance, not learn something as emotional as reading someone's feelings through their eyes.

"Is.. Is that so?" Kuroko replied, almost halfheartedly. He must brush it off. He must not let them worry. "I'm feeling great, so I think it's just your imagination."

The girl stared at him doubtfully. Kuroko averted his gaze, hoping that the topic of conversation would not continue. He did not need a group of children to tell him exactly what he was feeling.

"..Are you sure you're okay, Tetsuya onii-chan?" a little boy asked, tugging the hem of his shirt. Kuroko turned to him, and smiled.

"Yes. Better than ever.' He then seemed to hesitate for a moment before adding; "So what do all of you want to do today?"

As much as Kuroko denied it, as much as he avoided the topic, part of him couldn't help but believe what the little girl had commented earlier.

Deep down, Kuroko did not want Kagami to leave.

**xXx**

Kagami stared at the piece of paper in frustration. He couldn't seem to able to stuff anything into his head at all. He picked up one of the first few pages - one that he'd managed to memorize those weeks ago. He scanned the text, paling with every word he read. Damn. There was something like that in the script?

He set down the sheet, exhaling in defeat as he raked his hand through his hair. He absently fingered strands of his dark red locks, realizing for the first time that they'd actually grown longer. He grunted and retracted his hand, mentally chiding himself for paying too much attention to such trivial things.

Kagami partly knew why he couldn't concentrate. How could he chuck information into his brain with the image of that person stuck in his mind?

Kagami stared towards the horizon, feeling a sort of squeeze in his chest. Huh. Kagami didn't expect himself to actually miss this place. He'd always thought that the sooner he got everything over and done with, the better. He didn't expect that he would actually feel sad that he'll have to leave. Kagami wanted to hate the villagers for making him feel so welcomed throughout his stay.

Only he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to hate the place, as much as he tried.

_Shut up, me_, he thought to himself. _Just shut up and memorize your stuff_.

Kagami lifted a piece of script, and resumed his efforts to remember what he had to remember.

…

"Kagamicchi! It's time to do your measurements!"

Kagami peered over the piece of paper he was holding to see if the blonde was joking. "Hah?"

"You can't expect to face the government in _rags_, do you?' Kise asked incredulously, his hands on his hips. He was not joking. Kagami glared at him, suddenly imagining himself wearing a ridiculous suit complete with a tie and jacket and all that. It must have shown pretty obviously on his face because Kise started laughing out of nowhere.

"You won't be wearing anything stupid," Kise assured. "I've sketched out a design based on the clothes you were wearing when you first came here. I already got approval from Akashicchi. At least it wouldn't be as common as formal wear or something." When he received a doubtful look, he threw up his hands in exasperation. "Why don't you trust me? I may not look like it, but I'm a pro!"

Kagami was not in the mood to argue, so he just went with the flow. He set the paper aside and stood up, rubbing his eyes. He figured that after everything, he'll have to get himself a pair of glasses. Reading under such conditions must be really bad for his eyes.

Kise motioned him to the centre of the room, producing a roll of measuring tape from one of his pockets. Kagami did as asked, his expression that of utmost boredom. If Kise was a pro as he had claimed to be, then he better be quick. Kagami had too many things left to memorize, and he was running out of time.

_Whoa_. For a second there he sounded exactly like a workaholic - something he was working hard not to become. This was definitely not a good sign.

"How's everything going?" Kise asked as he measured Kagami's outstretched arms. Kagami was glad Kuroko had gone out to the city for once. With his arms stretched out either side of him, he felt like an idiot.

"Not that good," Kagami admitted.

"Hmmm," Kise muttered as he jotted down some numbers on a piece of paper. "Only four days left, huh?"

"Yeah."

Kise said something under his breath which Kagami failed to catch. He only heard the mention of a name, and that did not add to his understanding.

_Kurokocchi._

What does Kuroko have to do with all these?

Kagami did not ask. Kise didn't look like he would answer him properly anyway. So he stayed silent throughout the whole procedure, letting Kise do his work.

"..I don't suppose you can show me how it looks like?" Kagami asked once the blonde declared everything done. He waited as Kise folded his notes and curled up his measuring tape. Kise then flashed him a smile and turned around.

"Nope~" he said, winking as he glanced over his shoulder. "It's not anything special, but it's still a surprise."

"Figured that much," Kagami mumbled, sighing. He lifted his arms above his head and stretched. His whole body ached from crouching on the floor all morning.

Kise smiled sympathetically. "Good luck, Kagamicchi." He added under his breath, "And thank you."

"Eh?" Kagami wanted to ask what for, but Kise was gone. He blinked, staring at the entrance as if he was expecting his eyes to deceive him or something. Given the circumstances, they might just did.

But Kise really was gone. No sounds of footsteps, no shuffling of clothes. He disappeared just like that. How the heck did he do that?

A sigh once again escaped Kagami's lips. All those memorizing must be frying his brain. Kise shouldn't have disappeared. It was logically impossible to do so unless you had a weak presence like Kuroko. Kise certainly did _not_ have an unnoticeable presence. That guy was like the sun, for heaven's sake!

Kagami decided not to ponder over that matter. He had more important things to do compared to wondering if his eyes were failing on him.

He glared at the stack of papers on the floor, and gradually came to a decision. His head was hurting like crap and his vision was blurring. He could use a break. Some fresh air and sunshine would be good.

Kagami willed his legs to step outside.

**xXx**

Akashi was not satisfied with what he saw, but he had to make do. Their time was up.

The atmosphere was tense. Akashi couldn't blame them. They'll be risking their freedom first thing the next morning. Akashi had assured that his plan would not fail as long as he is in charge, but that did not stop the others from feeling anxious. Oh well.

Of everyone there, Kagami was the most pressured one. In his own standards, he did quite well in their last roleplay session after dinner that night. He'd mastered the art of not stuttering, and his patience over potential biting remarks had improved. His flow of words had also become more spontaneous and natural.

Akashi thought it was barely enough, but no matter. The poor boy was stressed enough. Any more and he's sure he would snap. Even now as he studied him, Kagami had his fingers laced together, his hands shaking slightly. His breathing was uneven, and he was chewing on the corner of his lip.

A normal human being would not be able to notice these minute details, but Akashi had never considered himself normal. And he was always right.

"Tomorrow's the day," he spoke up, breaking the heavy silence around them. His eyes darted towards each and every one of them gathered there, surveying. Despite everything that Akashi had mentally described to himself just now, Kagami had a determined glint in his eyes. Akashi almost smiled. Kagami wouldn't be backing down anything soon, it seems. The others looked grim and prepared, albeit maybe a little nervous.

They were ready.

"Taiga's efforts will be put to test," Akashi continued, staring straight at the taller redhead. "Anything you'd like to say?"

Kagami gulped. Say?

"I'll..I'll try my best," he said. Gradually gaining confidence, he continued; "I won't let everything that we've done go to waste. I'll do whatever it takes to make this a success."

"Well you sound cocky," Aomine comments lazily. He was resting his chin on one hand, looking bored out of his mind.

"Shut up, Aomine," Kagami said, though he barely meant it. "You're not the one having to face the big guys."

"So what?" Aomine yawned. "Just having to follow you there is bad enough."

"It's all just for a few hours, Daiki," Akashi said calmly. "Stop complaining."

"I'm not," Aomine said. "It's just that he sounds so confident it pisses me off for some reason."

Kagami failed to suppress a grin. "Good to hear."

"Hmph," Aomine turned away, but the corners of his lips were twitched into a smile. "Just don't mess up."

"Ryouta," Akashi spoke up, satisfied that an argument did not break out between the two idiots. It would be troublesome if one did. "Go get Taiga's clothes."

"Alrighty," Kise beamed before speeding off to fetch his masterpiece. He returned half a minute later, breathing hard with a grin on his face. He really was proud of it. It was the first time someone was going to wear the clothes he'd sewn. He handed the folded bundle to Kagami.

Kagami muttered his thanks, accepting the bundle. He decided that it's not the best time to inspect the clothes, so he only studied the piece of drawing that Kise had passed to him along with the other things.

As the blonde had said several days ago, the design bore a resemblance to that of the clothes Kagami had been wearing when he got there. There was a simple long sleeved white shirt with a thin piece of ribbon looping under its upturned collar, a brown vest with dark grey lining, and a pair of matching trousers. A red scarf was supposed to be tied to his right upper arm.

Kagami had expected something more uncommon, but he did not complain. It was still better than wearing a suit. He fingered the material of the clothes, and blinked. He looked down, and realized something. He didn't know how Kise did it - by using second hand clothes or what -, but the blonde had somehow managed to make the attire look well worn and old. The texture of the shirt was crumpled, and the hem of the vest was frayed at some parts. Kagami understood why Kise did all this. He was supposed to be an important guy that had somehow gotten himself lost in a forest and ended up in a village of poverty. New, clean clothes would probably ruin the image.

"We'll gather after lunch," Akashi concluded. "Are all of you clear about what we have to do?"

Everyone nodded. Akashi smiled, and stood up. "Good. Get some rest tonight, all of you. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

**xXx**

Kagami couldn't sleep.

It wasn't the first time. It always happened whenever he's about to do something big the next day.

He rolled on his back, and stared up at the ceiling. If everything goes well, tonight or the night after would be his last time staying in Kuroko's small, cozy home. Kagami figured he'd miss the place; the sound of his feet on the wooden floor, the familiar part of the ceiling he'd stare up to during sleepless nights, the musty scent of Kuroko's old pillows. Kagami exhaled and shut his eyes tight in a attempt to stop thinking. If he were to pursue the thought any longer, he was afraid he would start tearing up in a very unmanly way.

"Can't sleep?"

Kagami opened his eyes, and almost jumped out of his skin.

"Stop doing that, Kuroko!" Kagami nearly screeched as he sat up. He had opened his eyes to find a pair of large blue eyes staring down at him in the darkness.

"Doing what?" Kuroko inquired as he scooted backwards. Kagami stared at him hard, then decided that arguing just wasn't worth it.

"Ah, forget it," he said, sighing as he scratched the back of his head. He regarded the pale boy. "Can't sleep either?"

Kuroko shook his head. Kagami raised his eyebrows.

"I thought your nightmares had stopped," he said. Kuroko shrugged in response.

"They did," he said, subconsciously rubbing his arm. "I just can't seem to fall asleep tonight."

"Nervous about tomorrow?" Kagami suggested.

"Not really." Kuroko locked eyes with the redhead. "Are you?"

With effort, Kagami tore his eyes away from those mesmerizing pools of blue. He forced himself to focus on the moonlit view outside the window. "A.. little," he admitted. When he heard a soft chuckle from his companion, he looked back and demanded; "What? Don't judge me."

"Sorry," Kuroko said after he'd manage to stop his giggles. He was smiling softly, the way Kagami had came to like so much. "I wasn't judging you, Kagami-kun."

Blush rose up to the redhead's face. Despite the darkness, his hand instinctively crept to his face to hide it. Damn Kuroko for being all cute like that!

"A-Anyway," he stammered. "Let's try to at least get some rest. Won't want to be sleep deprived tomorrow of all days."

He didn't look, but he could hear Kuroko as he shifted to stand up.

"..Yeah," the smaller boy said. Then before Kagami could even react, he bent down, and placed a kiss on his forehead. It wasn't much; just a soft peck. "Good luck for tomorrow, Kagami-kun. Good night."

Until this day, Kagami blamed Kuroko for his lack of sleep that night, for he could only sit there and try to remember how to breathe until morning came.

**xXx**

Kagami took in a deep, shuddering breath. His heartbeat was crazy. His lunch was threatening to make a reappearance.

_Stop,_ he told himself. _I can do this_.

He marched out of the overgrowth of trees through the path Akashi had pointed out to him earlier and towards the large gates, the Generation of Miracles tailing behind him like bodyguards. He set his face into a scowl (which wasn't too hard) as he approached the gatekeepers. The armored men looked up from the magazines they were reading, eyebrows raised.

"Let me in," Kagami demanded, sounding like he had all the rights to do so. "I want to see the head of this country."

He steeled his nerves, and waited. The very first part of Akashi's plan had started.

And the first handcuff snapped into place.


	11. Chapter 11

**GOSH SCHOOL IS KILLING ME- /shot**

**Sorry for the late update guys ;;w;; As I'd mentioned in the previous chappie, my school year started right after new years, and I've been struggling to settle down since then. I was so tensed that I had some trouble focusing on writing =u=''. I didn't really want to give you guys too much of a halfassed work, so I took my time ;u;. I can't say that this is too much of a success either so...**

**OTL OTL **

**ughhhhh. I'm so sorry again if this wasn't satisfying. it'll take some time again, but I'll try my best in the next one! **

**KuroBasu is not mine. Feel free to comment on anything ouo. Thanks in advance for reading!**

* * *

Akashi's plan was simple: let themselves be captured and led to the Prime Minister's residence. It was definitely easier compared to having to force their way through a bunch of armored guards with dangerous-looking weapons, Kagami had to admit. Not to mention that they get to save more energy, too.

Kagami glanced around as he and the others were marched past the busy streets of the main city, his dislike towards the place growing more and more with every step he took. The people there all looked healthy and well fed, unlike the villagers who were all barely scraping by. In fact, as far as Kagami could see, the citizens were even _wasting_ the food they have. More than once he'd spotted perfectly good conditioned fruits and whole packets of rice in rubbish bins. The huge houses and mansions did not make things any better. The smallest house he saw was at least three times the size of the huts back at the village.

Kagami now knew why Akashi had been so obsessed with facing the head of the country about the matter. Conspiracy was written all over the place.

Citizens pointed and stared as they were marched through the streets, some in disbelief, some in distaste, some in triumph. Kagami bit his lip, and forced himself to ignore them and not glare back. What they thought of them was none of his concern.

Kagami looked ahead as they approached a mansion much bigger than the rest. It was _huge_, with a pair of long wings of rooms stretching out from either side of the main building. Kagami couldn't help but stop and stare. It was the first time he'd seen a residence so gigantic. Even the richest guy in his hometown did not own something as hardcore as this.

"Keep walking," the guard behind him ordered, shoving him roughly from the back. Kagami gritted his teeth, and willed himself to resume moving. He was _definitely_ going to make all this worth his time later. They were led through the gates and towards the main entrance, where they were stopped by more security staff.

"Stop," a man in uniform said, hurrying towards them. "What are you-"

He trailed off, noticing the other six boys behind Kagami. A look of recognition passed across his face upon seeing them. He turned to the guards that had brought Kagami and the others there, his eyebrows disappearing under his fringe.

"Don't tell me you guys caught them," he gaped, sounding incredulous.

"Who else do you expect then?" the one standing near Aomine huffed. He sounded proud for someone who was lying.

Kagami was sure Akashi was almost laughing out loud. _Caught_? These men could spend their whole lives chasing them down and not catch them if they hadn't decide to willingly show up themselves. Being caught was not an option when being a member of the Generation of Miracles. Akashi _forbid_ it.

"You letting us in or not?" the guard behind Kagami grunted impatiently.

"The Sir is currently entertaining some guests," the one in charge of the entrance said.

"We'll just lock them up somewhere until he's done then," the other said indifferently. The entrance guard considered this for a moment before wordlessly stepping aside to let them through.

For the umpteenth time, Kagami thought it was unfair. Just the foyer itself was at least four times the size of Kuroko's small home. Large glass chandeliers hung low from the ceiling, casting a sort of fractured light across the whole place. A set of ornate stairs was built right at the opposite end of the entrance, leading to more corridors upstairs. Kagami felt the ground soften under his feet when he stepped in. He glanced down, and realized that the floor was covered with a plush carpeting.

Kagami was feeling slightly mischievous. He made it a point of drag his feet when he walked.

The group was not led upstairs. They turned right at the ground-floor, heading towards a dimly lit hallway. Kagami glanced around curiously, but he wasn't just gaping mindlessly over things that he was seeing for the first time in his life. He had to remember everything to prevent from getting lost when the time comes. It was all part of the precautions of Akashi's plan.

The guards ordered them to descend a flight of stairs that led somewhere underground. Dungeons? Kagami suspected so. Despite its modern outer appearance, the Prime Minister's residence had some medieval designs in its architecture as well. Kagami and the others silently made their way down, their footsteps echoing against the stone steps. It felt like a long time before they reached the bottom.

There was a musty scent in the air, Kagami noticed. He figured the place probably hadn't been used in a while. He did not have much time to ponder over the thought. Before he knew what exactly was happening, he was pushed hard from the side. Kagami turned, nearly losing his temper with these men when a barred door slammed shut inches from his face. An automatic lock promptly clicked into place.

Kagami took in deep breaths. He did not want to bother making it a show by demanding to be let out. He already did that the first time they had their hands cuffed. Instead, he chose to glare at the guards who brought them there, putting as much hate as he could into his gaze. It wasn't hard. At that point, Kagami loathed the main city and its citizens so much, he wanted to wring the necks of every one of those in charge.

He listened in fuming silence as six other cell doors slam shut, followed by the footsteps of the guards. Kagami waited until the footsteps have faded before letting out his anger in a loud, deep sigh. He allowed himself a minute's rest to gather his thoughts. The slamming of the other cell doors did not sound far away, which was a relief. Akashi had discussed what measures would be taken if they were to be separated too far off from one another, and Kagami was praying with all his life for it not to happen. Having to sneak around alone in such a big place was scarier than having to walk through a seemingly endless forest in its own way.

They had been patted down right after they were handcuffed to make sure they weren't carrying anything that could be used as a threat or weapon. The guards found nothing, of course. Akashi had carefully devised everything. The Generation of Miracles were _thieves_, not assassins or anything of that sort. They _take_ what they want when they want it.

Handcuffing them from the front was the first mistake the guards made. Kagami bent down to examine the lock, yawning as he did so. His lack of sleep was finally starting to take a toll on him. Kagami shook his head in an attempt to push the drowsiness away. He reached towards his hair, and pulled out a thin, black bobby pin cleverly hidden under layers of dark red locks. He held up his hands before him, looking for the keyhole in the metal cuffs that bound his wrists.

The second mistake was the placement of the keyhole. Kagami wasn't sure what to think of the person who made the thing; careless or just plain stupid. It was right there on the base of the wrist, which Kagami could easily reach once he bent his long fingers. He inserted the pin into the hole, and jiggled, straining to hear the click of the mechanism.

Lock-picking was never one of Kagami's specialties. He'd broken many locks and pins from his earlier attempts back at his family's sweet shop before he could get the hang of it. Hey, a kid can't be _too_ desperate for candy, can he?

Kagami was appreciating his past efforts now. At least he didn't need to worry about one more thing during the preparations of what he was currently doing.

Something clicked into place, and Kagami was free from his handcuffs. Kagami took several seconds to rub his sore wrists before running the back of his hand over his forehead. He was sweating up a storm, and was tempted to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. He decided otherwise, instead proceeding to unlock his cell door. It took a little longer than his handcuffs, but he got it done without much problems. Seeing that the coast was clear, he pushed the barred door open, and slipped out, his nerves on high alert mode.

"Took you long enough," Aomine commented in a drawling voice once the redhead stepped out of his cell. He snorted when Kagami almost jumped from surprise. He got it easy. He probably did this almost every day for the last few years.

"_Shut up_," Kagami retorted back. Then he realized that the whole world was waiting for him, and had to resisted the urge to feel embarrassed. He will _not_ compare his skills to those of thieves.

Akashi swept his gaze around before nodding approvingly. "Looks like everyone's here."

Kagami glanced around. He then raised his eyebrows. "Where's Kuroko?"

"I'm right here," Kuroko said, materializing at Murasakibara's side. Kagami nearly stopped breathing for five seconds. How long has it been since this happened?

"Kagami-kun looks strange," Kuroko observed, tilting his head aside. "Is something wrong?"

A very unnecessary memory of what happened the night before surfaced in Kagami's mind, and he had to work hard to keep a straight face and not blush.

"I'm fine," he managed to say.

"You better be. It'll be a bother if you're not, Taiga," Akashi said in a light tone. Kagami did not really see what was the problem, but the rest of the Generation of Miracles visibly flinched. They knew Akashi. The more indifferent he sounded, the more threat there is. "Now let's get going. There's quite a lot to do."

He did not receive any objections.

**xXx**

Finding their way back to the foyer was easy.

In fact, it seemed _too_ easy. All they had to do was go up the stairs and turn left. Kagami was expecting some hi-tech heat censor cameras or something to be installed at every corner, but there was nothing of that sort. No traps sprang to life. No chasms opened under their feet. No alarms blared to life. Heck, there weren't even guards in the place. Kagami had this ridiculous feeling that his gang was being expected, but he knew it was impossible. Suppose the security of the mansion was just _that_ bad.

Kagami followed Akashi's lead as they silently slipped through the numerous corridors to track down the Prime Minister's location. Kagami was grateful for his worn, comfortable leather boots, for they made no sound as he moved around. He wasn't really keen on going all over the place barefoot and holding his shoes in his hands. He and the others carefully trailed behind the shorter redhead, alert of any type of security. As far as he knew, Kagami still saw none.

After a while, Kagami started noticing trivial things. The Generation of Miracles looked so confident in what they were doing. Their movements were fluid and natural, like they were just strolling in the streets rather than sneaking around in an important guy's home. In short, they looked absolutely unbothered by the fact that they might just be caught any time soon.

Kagami, on the other hand, was starting to feel more paranoid than normal. He tensed at the slightest sound. His eyes kept on darting around his surroundings. He wondered if this was how Kuroko and the others felt like when they first went to steal from the city. It must've been hard for them. A group of ten-year olds probably wouldn't have stood a chance if caught.

Akashi suddenly stopped in his tracks, raising a hand in warning. "Hide," he ordered in a whisper. He ducked into the nearest unlocked room, the other's following suit without question. Quickly without a sound, he shut the door. From behind the mahogany, voices and footsteps could gradually be heard. Kagami held his breath as the footsteps became louder and louder, heading their direction. He was sure whoever those people were would hear his heartbeat even from that far away.

"..no way," a muffled, unfamiliar voice was saying. "They actually _caught_ them?"

Another voice snorted. "Yeah, right. It took them forever to just catch one of them, and that was because the guy wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. Do you really believe in crap like that?"

"I heard that there's a foreigner with them. I knew there were rumors around, but I didn't think it was true," a third voice said. "Anyway, why don't we go down to the dungeons and see for ourselves? It'll be hilarious if those guys made a stupid mistake by capturing the wrong people. Sir will not be impressed."

The three men walked right past, too immersed in their conversation to bother to check. Kagami did not resume breathing until the voices and footsteps had completely faded. Akashi motioned them to wait, and they did. Five seconds, ten seconds..

Akashi nodded to Kuroko, who was closest to the entrance. Kuroko pressed his ear against the wood, listening for any sounds. He then slowly twisted the doorknob, and pushed the door from its frame, carefully peeking outside as he did so. The corridor was as silent and abandoned as before. There were no signs of any living things other than his group.

Kuroko stepped outside, and silently waved for the rest to follow. The coast was clear.

Kagami let out a breath that he'd been unconsciously holding as he walked out. _Damn_, that was scary. Kagami couldn't help but think how much of a failure he would be if he were to decide to walk the path of a thief after all that.

"_Tch."_

Raising his eyebrows, Kagami glanced at Akashi. He immediately flinched upon seeing the shorter redhead's face. Akashi was glaring at the direction where the guards went with so much killer intent that Kagami actually felt goosebumps rising on his skin. He noticed that the others were having the same reaction too.

"We have to hurry," Akashi said, turning back to them. He looked extremely annoyed, which was rare. "It will not take them long to discover that we've escaped."

"Who knows? With luck, they might just lock themselves inside the cells," Kagami couldn't help suggesting. It sounded more like he was assuring himself, but he didn't really care. Panic was rising in his chest, and that was not a good sign. At this rate, he might just forget all the stuff that he'd painstakingly memorized when the time comes. Kagami shuddered at the thought. He forced himself not to think about it.

"Maybe," Akashi said, sounding doubtful. "At any rate, let's hurry up and find the man before he leaves or something. I do not fancy wasting my efforts in here."

"Which way, Akashicchi?" Kise inquired. Kagami realized with the start that most of them had not spoken at all the whole time they were there. Kise seemed like a completely different person now. He'd lost the silly cheeriness that usually surrounded him. The look in his golden eyes were dead serious. "Or rather, which room?"

Akashi pursed his lips in thought. Judging from where they were now..

"One more corridor," he said. "That's the Prime Minister's quarters. If he's still entertaining his guests, then he'd probably still be there."

No one bothered to even ask how could he be so sure about it, not even Kagami. This was Akashi in question. He was always _right_. Kagami figured the guy must've somehow gotten his hands on the mansion's floor plan or something.

"Now come," Akashi beckoned, walking first. "Let's get this over and done with."

They forged on, Akashi in the lead. This is it, Kagami thought as he walked. It's almost time to do what he was there for. He inhaled deeply to steel his nerves. He could do this.

They soon reached a hallway not different from the ones they had ventured through. In fact, everything - from the placement of windows to the number of rooms - looked so identical, it was scary. If Akashi wasn't the one leading, Kagami would've thought they'd been travelling in circles.

The stretch of rooms was deserted… Or _was_ it? Kagami concentrated on his hearing, and he could vaguely pick up some muffled sounds of conversation from one of the rooms. Apparently, the guests were still there. He guessed they were somewhere about four rooms ahead on him on the left. He watched as Akashi boldly stepped closer towards the source of the sound. The shorter redhead came to a stop before the a set of double doors leading to the room right after the one Kagami assumed to be occupied. Akashi gazed blankly at the polished wood of the doors for a moment before turning to face his comrades. He jabbed his thumb towards the door and nodded.

The rest of the group approached Akashi's spot. Kagami glanced at the closed doors, then at Akashi, relaying a silent question.

_Now?_

Akashi got the message and nodded once more. They've discussed this before. Things would be in their favor if there were guests present. Akashi had explained why.

Kagami turned towards the polished mahogany, and inhaled, breathing out slowly. It was strange. Now that the moment was so close, he didn't feel that nervous anymore. More than anything, he felt determined to get things done once and for all. And that determination fueled his confidence. He can do this. He _will_ do this.

Kagami reached for the doorknob, and twisted.

**xXx**

Nothing like a dramatic entrance. Kagami could almost get a cheesy picture of himself throwing the doors open in slow motion, the wind blowing at his hair, him smiling confidently. It was so ridiculous, Kagami almost burst out laughing, despite himself.

Well, all of that _could_ have happened for all he knew. Kagami was only sure that if something like that really did happen, it was promptly ruined as soon as he got a good view at the inhabitants of the room he'd just bombarded.

Kagami had not just invaded the room where the Prime Minister was entertaining his guests. He had invaded a _tea party_.

Adult men and women dressed in expensive suits and gowns were milling all around, chattering heartily and animatedly with each other, holding delicate glasses of colored drinks in their hands. A big buffet table was set at the centre of the room, countless large platters of uneaten food placed there to be left cold. Soft orchestra music played from a hidden speaker.

Awkward did not even describe Kagami's situation by the least. It took all of his effort to not fidget when around two dozen gazes of important adults turned his way. Too late to turn back now.

"Where is the Prime Minister?" he said with so much demand he surprised himself. He set his face into an angry frown. It wasn't hard. Looking at this luxury infuriated him for some apparent reason. "I want to see him. _Now_."

He scanned the area, looking for a person that matched the description Akashi had given him before. The gazes staring back at him varied in emotions; surprise, fear, anxiety. Most just looked at him with calculating expressions like '_What's that boy doing here?_' or '_Who brought this bug in_?'. Kagami did not focus on those for long. He might just lose his temper and screw up.

"And how did you get in here, young man?" A man who looked like he was in his mid-forties stepped out from the crowd after five minutes of silence. Like the rest of the men there, he was wearing a formal suit, but his short brown hair was uncombed and messy. He looked grumpy. "This is private property - not a place for you to be in."

"I will not leave," Kagami insisted, crossing his arms. "Until I see who I'm here to see."

The man narrowed his eyes. "The Sir is occupied at the moment. Besides, not any random person is allowed to talk face to face with someone as important as him." When he saw the determination to not back down in the redhead's eyes, he sighed and added warily. "I'm his secretary. Perhaps you can talk to me instead, though this is probably not the best time and place."

"I will talk to no one but the man himself," Kagami said coolly.

The secretary let out a very undignified snort. "And what right do you have? Just who do you think you are?"

His tone had changed, but Kagami was not affected. Compared to his roleplay sessions with Akashi, this was nothing.

"Very well," the man said with a shrug when Kagami kept his silence. "Then I'll just have to treat you as an intruder and alert security."

He pulled a tiny device from his pocket, and pressed a button. An alarm blared to life, and out of a group of guards suddenly came rushing into the room. Okay, so the in-front-of guest approach did not exactly go as planned. Kagami feigned surprise as he pretended to struggle out of the men's grip. Akashi had thought up of all kinds of scenarios and had trained Kagami on how to act in each one. This was no exception.

"_Put up a struggle, but let them overpower you and capture you anyway,"_ Akashi had said_. "We'll just find a way to get you out again. We can't afford to give them a bad impression of you."_

So Kagami let himself be handcuffed and dragged off. Again. Damn, this was embarrassing. He wondered if Kuroko and the rest had been captured again too, since they were nowhere to be seen. He figured there's no need to worry about then. Compared to Kagami himself, they know their way around _way_ better.

It took some effort for him not to sigh when the metal bar door once again slammed shut before his face. Really, all this was _so_ tiring.

**xXx**

Kagami once again waited until he was left alone before starting to formulate a plan. No guards were assigned to keep an eye on him. Kagami wasn't sure whether to feel offended or relieved. That didn't matter. His main priority was to escape from his cell and reunite with the others. He was more than sure that their missing had already been noticed by security.

Unless they really are _that_ slow and stupid.

Unfortunately, they _did_ do something right this time. Unlike the first time, Kagami's hands were bound behind him, making it almost impossible for him to reach the pin in his hair. Kagami paced the floor as he thought. Didn't Akashi mention something like this some time ago?

He wrecked his brain trying to remember. Yes. The memory was vague, but Akashi did speak of something like this before. The shorter redhead had taught him a way to handle situations like this.

Kagami squatted down, carefully adjusting his arms behind him as he did so. It wasn't easy. Slowly, he brought his hands forward, putting one leg through the loop. When it was securely through, Kagami adjusted his position to balance himself. He then slipped the other leg through, and straightened up again.

Doing this alone took him a while. Kagami had long legs, and slipping them through such a small space without twisting them or dislocating something was challenging indeed. By the time he was done, he was sweating from the concentration and heat. Kagami took in several deep breaths before once again going through the procedure of picking the locks.

Kagami stood back and exhaled when he was done, leaving the metal door unlocked but still closed. He stared at his hands. They were shaking slightly. From what, though, he didn't know. He didn't care. He was busy pondering whether or not to run off and find the others or wait for the them to find him. Kagami considered his chances. If he would to go alone, he would most probably than not get himself lost and all that. Kagami decided to be safe. He decided to wait. After all, Akashi did say that they'll find him if he gets captured, didn't he?

Kagami found a comfortable spot on the floor, and settled down. He closed his eyes and leaned back, a yawn escaping his lips. Should he take a nap? He was exhausted. He was already tired from his lack of sleep the night before. All the running around left him _drained_. Just a few minutes wouldn't hurt, right?

Kagami had no idea when did he fall asleep, nor did he know how long he slept. The next thing he knew, he was blinking awake to the insistent shake of his shoulders and the call of his name.

"_Kagami-kun."_

Kagami grunted softly, shifting his sitting position in an attempt to cease the aching on his lower back and neck. He let out a huge yawn before completely opening his eyes. He glanced around sleepily. Who just woke him? There was no one around. Did he imagine it?

"Kagami-kun." He felt a tug on his sleeve. "Over here."

That voice. Kagami braced himself for a jumpscare before turning to his right. Kuroko knelt by his side, his large eyes staring blankly at him. Kagami was glad he delayed his reaction. Otherwise he could've let out a scream so loud it would have echoed through the whole place.

Kagami stared at him. "Kuroko? How did you- " Then he remembered the unlocked cell door, and blanched. "_Ugh_. Nevermind. How did you find me?"

"There's only one place for them to keep their prisoners," Kuroko said, getting to his feet. He brushed the dust off his clothes. "So Akashi-kun sent me to find you once everything was sorted out. We hid in one of the rooms when you were taken away by the guards. The gathering adjourned not long after that. The Prime Minister is now in his study, but they've tightened the security after finally realizing that the rest of us are gone."

"So now what?" Kagami asked, not exactly liking how it was all going. He stood up, and stretched.

"Akashi-kun has everything figured out," Kuroko assured. "We've plotted out a safe passage for you to go uncaught and undisturbed. We'll make sure you get it done this time." When Kagami remained silent for several seconds after that, Kuroko knitted his eyebrows and asked; "Kagami-kun?"

"_Eh_?" Kagami blinked.

"You were spacing out," Kuroko commented. "You okay?"

"I.." Kagami trailed off. "Ah, it's nothing. Let's just finish this. I want to go back and sleep."

Kuroko saw the confidence returning to the redhead's eyes, and decided to ask no more. Instead, he held out his hand. "Shall we go, then?"

Kagami broke into a grin, and took Kuroko's hand. "Let's do this."


	12. Chapter 12

**and there I was, saying that I will end the story in this chapter or the last.**

**I was wrong. /shot**

**I tried ;u;. I'm not much of a political person, but I'd somehow actually managed to crap out this much crap ._. I don't really blame you guys if you find yourself reading the later part of this with a "What the fudge?" look written on your face lol /shot**

**ahhh I'm so tired now OTL. ALL DEM SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ARE JUST- /dies.**

**anywayyy, I guess the next chappie will _really_ be the last ouo. I guess I'll continue my rants there when I update /shot**

**ah well. KuroBasu is not mine. Feel free to point out any mistakes. Thanks in advance for reading!**

* * *

There were guards everywhere.

Kuroko was glad Kagami wasn't freaking out as much as he thought he would. He wasn't really keen on having to literally _drag_ the taller wherever he went. Kagami was slightly hesitant at first, but after successfully going through the first two attempts of sneaking right past the men on duty, he started to gain confidence in himself, and relaxed. Kuroko was glad Kagami was okay. He didn't show it of course, but from his earlier observations when they'd just started everything, he was worried. Kagami looked so nervous then, Kuroko thought he might just break down.

Kuroko held on to Kagami's hand as he took him back upstairs using the way that Akashi had planned out, having no special intentions other than as a precaution to not lose him anytime soon. Let's face it: one will simply miss out Kuroko from their line of sight as soon as he or she loses even a little focus on the pale boy. Kagami would have better things to do than to stare at him at such a time.

Fortunately, Kagami did not complain and make things complicated. Because truthfully, Kuroko wasn't really that sure about everything anymore. He was no longer sure what exactly he was feeling towards this tall, endearing redhead he was dragging along. That kiss the night before was purely impulsive, for even Kuroko did not realize what he was doing until he _did_ it. And he was wide awake, not half asleep. His body had moved on its own.

But hey, a kiss was just a _kiss_ right? It's not abnormal or anything. It wasn't even a kiss on the lips. There was no such need to make such a big fuss and waste his time pondering over it.

Kuroko took in a deep breath to clear his mind. He had to concentrate, or else he might mess up and take a wrong turn or something. That would not be good. Being captured and thrown into prison again was one thing, but facing Akashi's wrath later was another story. Akashi might go easy on _him_, but whatever inflicted on Kagami would probably not be very good for his health.

Kuroko turned into a corridor, and for a split second, he was taken aback. Dozens of guards lay unconscious on the floor, and sitting in a corner quietly nibbling on a snack that had magically appeared, was a familiar purple-haired giant.

Murasakibara perked up when he noticed the pair approaching. "Ah, its Kurochin."

Kagami stared at him, then at the unconscious people around him. "You did this?" he asked, feeling stupid.

"They were noisy," Murasakibara commented, a tinge of annoyance in his tone. "So I got angry and knocked them out. Akachin gave me permission anyway." He opened the packaging of a bar of chocolate before nodding towards the rest of the corridor to his left. "Kurochin and Kagami should go on before more guards come."

Kuroko walked past the giant, and stopped. He looked over his shoulder, and said; "Thank you, Murasakibara-kun."

Murasakibara only smiled sleepily. "Kurochin doesn't need to thank me. It's all part of Akachin's plan."

Kuroko said no more, only proceeding to pull Kagami along with him as they continued making their way towards their destination. He knew there was no need to worry over his friends. They'll be okay.

The pair kept on going through the maze of corridors, expertly sneaking past the seemingly hundreds of guards that were all around. Though he'd probably went through some the first time, Kagami still occasionally got confused by the identical hallways. His brain kept telling him that he'd never been there before, but his body seemed to be unable to comprehend. Kuroko had no such problems. He made turns at split paths without even hesitating.

They bumped into Midorima next. The bespectacled boy was standing leaning against a wall, fiddling with the bandages on his fingers. When he glanced up at the sound of the pair's approaching footsteps, he did not look impressed (then again, when was he _ever_?). His area was quiet, with not another soul around other than the three of them standing there.

"Midorima-kun," Kuroko greeted. Midorima glared at him, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Took you two long enough," he remarked, though he knew only a mere ten minutes had passed since Kuroko set off to fetch Kagami. It was a personality thing.

"Sorry," Kuroko said just to satisfy him. He then couldn't resist adding; "But it's nice of Midorima-kun to care. I didn't expect you to be so anxious about us."

Kagami watch with slight fascination as a pinkish tint found its way to Midorima's cheeks.

"S-Shut up." Midorima turned away. "It's not like I want to care or anything."

"I suppose it's not." A smile tugged the corners of the shorter boy's lips. Kagami blinked. Was that mischief he saw in that expression? "Thank you anyway."

Midorima did not look back. "Whatever." He managed not to stutter. "The two of your should stop wasting time here. Akashi will not be too happy if you dawdle too much."

"I know," Kuroko said. He tugged Kagami's hand, silently urging him to continue walking. "We'll be going then."

Kise and Aomine were busy when Kuroko and Kagami reached their area. Apparently, since Akashi had assigned them to a spot very close to the Prime Minister's study, the place was very tightly guarded. In fact, Kuroko could hear Aomine swearing about the endless numbers of men two hallways away.

"Aomine-kun, Kise-kun," Kuroko said as he dodged a hand wildly grabbing his way. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kagami shoving away a guard who was trying to cling on to him or something. Kise happened to glance their way as he hit a poor guy unconscious, and broke into a smile.

"Kurokocchi-" his greeting was cut short when another guard flung himself at him. "Ahh, there's just many of them here!" he complained.

"No time to talk, Tetsu!" Aomine growled, grabbing a man by his collar and flinging him aside, creating a gape wide enough for the two to pass through. "Go!"

When Kuroko and Kagami ran past them, Aomine and Kise stood shoulder by shoulder, blocking the way of the guards. The men had somehow finally managed to realize that the real problem were the ones that had just ran past. They struggled to break through, yelling obscenities as they did so. The two boys did not budge from their stance. Aomine even had the nerve to look bored.

"Out of the way, brats!" one of the guards at the front demanded. He attempted to push through Kise using brute force alone, but the blonde easily caught him and hauled him back to where he was, looking like he'd barely used any effort. The few men before him stumbled back from the impact of being shoved at.

"Our friend is only here to talk with him!" Kise said, raising his voice to be heard. "I swear we mean no harm!"

"Lies!" Another man shouted. "You are a group of thieves that had been terrorizing the city for years. Why should we trust you?"

Kise bit his lip, resisting the growing urge to scream back that all of it would not have happened if the village was taken notice of earlier, and that all of it would stop when Kagami finishes his talk with the Prime Minister.

"You know what?" Aomine's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Kise glanced at the tanned boy, raising his eyebrows. Aomine kept his gaze forward as he cracked his knuckles. "I think I want to hit them."

His straightforward statement somehow brought a smile to Kise's face. Really, Aomine was most probably the only person on earth who'd bluntly say that he wanted to hit someone out of the blue.

"Akashicchi didn't tell us not to," Kise smiled wryly. His companion looked at him sideways, and grinned.

"Let's kick some butt."

**xXx**

Kagami couldn't help feeling slightly guilty, for he was practically leaving all the dirty work for the others to do.

He shook his head, forcing the thought out of his mind. There was no time to think about that now. If he felt guilty, then he'd just have to make up to them by making it all worth their efforts. He'd have to make it all a success.

Kuroko finally slowed his pace. Kagami looked up and saw why. There was no need to run anymore. They were there.

Akashi was standing against a pair of closed doors, his arms crossed. He regarded the pair as they approached, his mismatched eyes shrewd and studying. Kagami subconsciously started inhaling deep breaths again - something that had recently became a habit for him when he was nervous. Plus, that running around was really tiring. He didn't really fancy _wheezing_ in front of the Prime Minister, either. Akashi would disapprove too, since it ruined his image and all.

Kuroko released Kagami's hand. _Huh_. They'd been holding hands all this while? Kagami didn't notice it until then. He was glad for that too. That stunt would've made him blush furiously the whole way and lose all his remaining focus.

Kagami walked over, and Akashi stepped aside, making way. The taller stopped before the doors, steeling his nerves. He set his hand on the brass handle, and glanced back once. Kuroko didn't wish him good luck this time, just stared at him with those big pools of blue. Akashi had a small smile on his face, though Kagami swore he was silently telling him "_I'll skin you alive if you fail this_".

Kagami felt reassured. Things will work out. He just knew it.

_Well. Here goes nothing._

He twisted the door handle, and pushed.

…

Kagami was expecting a gasp of surprise. Or maybe a set of wide eyes. _Something_.

He got nothing of that sort. The Prime Minister was exactly how Akashi had described him: a man approximately in his forties, his black hair slicked to the back, wearing a signature business suit that consisted of a black coat, white shirt, and red tie.

Imagine this: Kagami actually had to wait - _wait_ - several seconds before the man looked up from his documents. Even as he regarded the redhead, he did not look amused, let alone shocked or scared. He stared so intently at him, Kagami had trouble holding his gaze.

Shirogane Eiji, the Prime Minister did not look like he needed the security guard overkill. He looked like a person who could handle even people like Haizaki.

"You're one of the ones that are causing chaos all over my mansion, I presume?" His tone was calm and controled as he spoke. "I have to admit: I wasn't expecting adolescents to be the mastermind behind it all. But no matter. I can't say I appreciate what you boys have done."

Kagami blinked, snapping out of his stunned awe. It was scary, how everything he imagined got reversed in less than a second. He thought he was ready from all those roleplay sessions with Akashi, but he was wrong. Everything felt different somehow.

"I-I apologize for the mess," Kagami said, desperately recalling what he'd worked so hard to remember. "But by no means do we want to harm anyone, I promise. I just want to discuss a certain matter with you."

"Hmm." The man rested his chin on his right palm, and leaned forward. He did not look any more interested than before. "And I suppose this matter of yours is so important that you need to terrorize my home just to speak to me about it?"

"I'm sorry," Kagami apologized again. He made himself stare straight into the man's dark eyes. "But yes, it is important."

Shirogane stared back, his gaze steely. Kagami used this chance to relay all his determination, all his will to successfully get all this over and done with to the Prime Minister. He must listen. He _had_ to listen. He couldn't just ignore someone who was willing to go through so much trouble to change the fate of a village.

"..Alright," the man exhaled wearily. "But this better be worth my time. Start off by telling me who exactly are you."

**xXx**

Kagami had been afraid of mind blanks ever since he started the whole memorizing business. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how confident he felt, there had always been this one nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he would just space out and forget every damn thing when the time came.

But now that he was actually _doing_ it, Kagami experienced no such trouble. His brain went on automatic mode; recalling the lines, making the necessary changes, responding with suitable answers. He didn't think. Kagami figured that if he stopped and thought, things would go out of the window instantly. He had to trust his instincts. He had been trained to do so.

So he talked. He spoke of the village's existence; its poverty. He explained how the Generation of Miracles had came along. He told the man just why a group of children back then were willing to risk their lives stealing from the main city. It was scary, how Akashi had actually predicted everything with such accuracy. Two out of three of Akashi's assumptions actually happened, and Kagami was glad he'd actually managed to memorize enough - though barely.

Kagami kept on talking, and at one point, it no longer felt like he was just reciting what he'd memorized. Kagami realized that he really _meant_ what he said. He really wanted to help the village that was his home for the last two months.

"And what makes you think I will believe a story as absurd as this?" Shirogane Eiji asked once Kagami paused to regain some breath. The redhead's eyebrow twitched when he heard this. He's still denying it even now?

Kagami was about to give his reply when the door abruptly burst open, and Akashi stepped in along with Kuroko. Kagami glanced over his shoulder, and froze. _Wait_. Was this supposed to happen? And now way was all this a coincidence. Were those two listening from the outside the whole time?

"Us standing here in person is probably a solid enough proof, don't you think?" Akashi broke the silence that had promptly formed, smirking faintly at the Prime Minister's change in expression. "And I wouldn't bother denying _that_ if I were you."

He stopped and stood beside Kagami, his poise natural and confident. Kuroko hung back near the doors. Both of them had this defiant glint in their eyes. Kagami had to admit: he couldn't help feeling slightly jealous. He wished he could wipe that bored look off the man's face as easily as them.

There was a moment of stare down between Akashi and the Prime Minister. Kagami could feel the tension thickening in the air. It was nauseating. He found himself unconsciously holding his breath as he resisted the urge to fidget. What's going to happen now? As far as he could remember, Akashi hadn't mentioned anything like this before. He had no idea what he should do. Should he leave the rest to Akashi? Or should he continue?

"So what will you do?" Akashi questioned when he received no answer from the man, crossing his arms. He never once broke eye contact with the adult.

When Shirogane finally found his voice, he sounded incredulous, as if he couldn't believe someone actually dared to ask him something as ridiculous as that. "What will _I_ do? Just who do you think you boys are, demanding answers from the head of a country?"

Kagami saw Akashi's gaze flickering his way. Fortunately, he understood the message. It was his cue.

"We are humans, just like you and everyone else here," Kagami said, taking over once more. "And just like you guys, we have rights. We have rights to ask. And we have rights to demand for a better life."

The man narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid I can't follow where this conversation is going."

"All I'm asking for is to have the existence of the village in the woods acknowledged," Kagami said, walking forward and putting his hands on the edge of the man's mahogany desk. Scarlet eyes stared down at dark ones. "People from that village will no longer have their needs neglected. They will be permitted to work here in the city just like anyone else. And they will be treated as humans, _not_ insignificant trash that's just left there to die."

"And what if I refuse?" Shirogane's tone made it sound like a challenge. He glared up, daring Kagami to reply. Kagami did not. Akashi was the one that spoke up.

"I wonder how would the nation take it when they receive news about the disappearance of the Prime Minister?" he mused aloud, his voice dangerously calm and casual.

Shirogane paled as his gaze flickered towards him. "Y-You wouldn't dare!"

But Akashi already had something unpleasant in mind, and would definitely not mind doing it when he's in the mood. The man saw it in the shorter redhead's mismatched eyes.

"I'll.. I'll have to discuss this with the other ministers," he reasoned, tearing his gaze away from the boy. "This request isn't something easy to carry out. There will be a lot to do. There'll be documents to file, reports to write, data to be recorded-"

"And you _will_ comply to our request," Kagami insisted, cutting him off midsentence, banging his fist lightly on the surface of the desk. It was an act he had to put up. Normal talking didn't seem like it could take them anywhere anymore. "You _will_ insist to do as we asked, no matter what they say or how much they reject the idea."

"It will not be easy," Shirogane warned. "What's it in for me?"

"Frankly, probably a lot of trouble and work." Kagami straightened and stepped back. "But also an rise in income. Many of villagers can _work_. They'll be able to help in trades, businesses, things of that sort. There will be an increase in manpower, and the country's economy could improve. This place could prosper."

"How are you so sure?"

Kagami shrugged. "There's a saying: you never know till you try."

He waited as the adult pursed his lips and contemplated over his decision. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. Was that enough? Did he succeed? Or did he mess up? Or does the stupid discussion have to keep ongoing ?

"..I'll think about it," Shirogane finally said after what seemed to be an eternity to Kagami. Kagami knitted his brows at the answer. No, that wasn't enough. '_Thinking about it_' doesn't guarantee anything. They needed something solid.

"Don't just 'think about it'," Kagami said, making his voice as cold as possible. Surprisingly, it wasn't very hard. "_Do_ it."

He did not receive any response.

"And one more thing," he started, breaking the silence that had formed. "The Generation of Miracles will have the bounties on their heads removed, and will be treated just like any other normal citizen."

Kagami finally got the reaction he wanted to see. The Prime Minister looked up and stared at him as if he'd just lost his mind.

"_What_?" Shirogane said, losing his composure for a second. "You're asking for the impossible. They've been the source of fear and worry for the people in the City for years thanks to their crime of stealing. The people here _loathe_ them. Even if they are to be excused-"

"What makes you think they have not thought about that?" Kagami snapped. "What makes you think they care anymore? They were willing to risk their lives to keep the people in their village alive. They were willing to have bounties placed on their head so the others could live. They still followed the path of thieves despite knowing they would be hated and feared. They did a crime for a good cause. And you know what?" Kagami had no idea why, but he was boiling with anger. It always happened. He would always feel frustrated and angry whenever he thought about this. Voicing it out only made him feel more furious. "They stole from this sorry place for _attention_. To show that there's a village out there, starving, barely holding on, but still surviving. Fighting. And what do you people do? Ignore their signs. Treat them as criminals that terrorize and steal as they please. Continue living a stupid, pampered life while people are dying one by one just beyond the gates." He paused for a breath. When he spoke again, his voice was carefully leveled. "If a group of children could do as much as keeping a whole village alive. Why can't the officials - adults - do as much?"

He received silence once more. Kagami crossed his arms, and waited for his answer. Slowly, his anger began to fade. His breathing calmed down, but he could still feel his heart beating hard. Kagami wasn't sure if it was the after-effects of his rage or just his nerves. He didn't bother thinking too much about it.

"..I'll consider it."

Shirogane was silent for so long, he actually managed to catch Kagami by surprise when he spoke up. The redheaded teen stared at him, and blinked. And then realization sank in.

"What you said is true," the man continued, sighing as if he couldn't believe he was saying this. "The irony, being lectured about the problems of my country by a mere child. I'll think about your words, and take the appropriate measures. Besides," he smiled wryly. "It would be shameful to have foreigners worrying about my country, don't you think?"

That was exactly what they were aiming for. The whole point of Akashi using Kagami as the middle man was because he wanted the head of country to lose face by being told off by a foreigner. It took exactly Kagami's everything to not break out grinning right there and then.

"How can we be sure that you'll remember this conversation? And that you will keep your word?" Akashi voiced his suspicion. Shirogane looked at him, a glint in his eyes.

"I never back down on my promises," he assured. "Especially in _this_ case, since I'm sure you won't let me anyway."

So he'd already guessed how brutal Akashi could be when unimpressed. Akashi smiled faintly, satisfied by the answer he got.

"Well then. I guess our work here is done." Kagami concluded. He bowed slightly at the man. "Thank you for your time. We'll be taking our leave now."

He straightened, and turned on his heels, facing his companions. Now that his back was turned, Kagami felt no need to suppress that stupid grin any longer.

"Shall we go?" he asked, and pushed the door open.

**xXx**

Kagami wasn't expecting the congratulations and thank yous, as indirect as they were.

Aomine gave him a not-so gentle slap on the back as soon as the redhead updated him about the matter, pitching him forward a couple of steps when he did it. Kise, on the other hand, was not as violent - much to Kagami's relief. He wasn't sure if he could go on without coughing up blood for a week if he was to be hit by the same amount of force again. Kise only beamed widely and thanked the redhead for his hard work, practically emitting sparkles as he did so. Midorima refused to thank him entirely; instead choosing to just mumble a compliment to his success without actually looking at him. Murasakibara gave him a bar of uneaten chocolate snack. Akashi only crossed his arms, and smiled like a proud parent.

Kagami couldn't blame him - or all of them, for that matter. All that time and energy spent on him was probably not little. Even Kagami himself couldn't help feeling satisfied. His efforts weren't wasted. He actually something right.

He did it right.

Everything didn't seem real yet. After everything he went through just to prepare for this day, it still felt incomplete - as if he was still missing something out. As if his task was not complete yet. Was he really caught and thrown into prison? Twice? And broke out twice too? Did he really speak with the Prime Minister without messing up? Did what he say really made so much sense that he'd actually managed to convince the man to follow Akashi's plans?

There was a slight squeeze on his hand, and Kagami looked down, eyebrows raised. Kuroko stood by his side, hand in his. He gazed up at him, a gentle smile on his face, saying nothing. And that was when Kagami knew. Sometimes, there's just no need to worry over every little thing. Things work out the way they should.

Kagami let his own smile spread across his face, and squeezed back.


	13. Chapter 13

Kagami wasn't sure what kind of reaction he should expect from the villagers when he tells them the news. Cheers? Claps on his shoulder and back? High-fives?

But what he got wasn't something as simple as that.

"Huh. Would you look at that," Aomine commented as soon as the place entered their line of sight, sounding amused for some reason. Kagami stared at him in bewilderment, not understanding what he meant at first. Aomine cocked his chin ahead of them, and Kagami turned, eyebrows raised. Look at _what_?

And then he saw it; the battalion of villagers standing at the entrance to the village in the fading twilight. And gradually, as they walked closer, the chanting of his name could be heard. Kagami blinked uncomprehendingly. Why were they cheering before they even got the news? Why did every one of them make it look like it was all already a success before anything was even said?

Did everyone really have such high hopes on him? Kagami silently thanked whatever deity he believed in for not letting him know about this before he went off. The pressure he would have to bear would have been too much for him.

Well, anyway that was that. Hearing all those cheers for him now made him feel glad he did it. Kagami felt relieved for not letting anyone down. He could break the news to them easily, without the guilt of disappointing them.

He could proudly say he did it.

And he did. He told the villagers, with a wide grin on his face, that Akashi's plan had been a success. The village will be - and probably even _has_ been - acknowledged. Things will be different from now on. They won't have to live with a constant fear of death anymore. They'll no longer have to rely on the Generation of Miracles to help keep them going. Families will have decent places to stay in and enough food to eat. Adults will be given a chance to work, and children will be given the appropriate education - Akashi himself personally declared to see to that.

Over the loud whoops and cheers of the villagers, a lone boy voiced his concern; "What will happen to the Miracles now?"

Kagami didn't hear it until the other villagers started repeating question among themselves, sounding increasingly agitated as the impact of it settled in. What's going to happen to them? What's going to happen to their saviors - their one ray of light - during those dark days? Are they going to be taken away? Punished for stealing? Jailed for life?

"Huh?" Kagami perked up when the topic finally got to his ears. "Oh, them? They'll be excused, so don't worry," he assured. "They'll still stay with you guys from now on."

Whatever he wanted to say after that was drowned out by cheers that were even louder than before. Kagami didn't mind. He could barely stop his own smile from spreading wider.

"This calls for a celebration!" Someone yelled, and in a split second, shouts of assent could be heard. Kagami did not even have the time to register what exactly was going on when he found himself defying the laws of gravity. The stronger of the villagers hoisted him up, and with every hearty cheer of his name, threw him upwards into the air.

Kagami would be lying if he were to claim that he didn't freak out. His first concern was him falling and hitting the ground with a probably not very heroic _splat_, but the people who can lift him could probably catch him too when gravity does its work. After the first few throws, Kagami allowed himself to relax. And before he realized it, he found himself laughing; from the satisfaction, the fun. From the sheer relief of being released from a burden placed upon his shoulders for the last two months.

"_Kagami! Kagami!"_

As he was thrown upwards again, Kagami caught sight of the Generation of Miracles being treated in the same manner out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't really take in much in such a short interval of time, but he swore Kuroko was still pokerfacing despite the fact that he was being hauled up into the air like he weighted nothing.

But that's what makes him Kuroko, right?

He didn't stop to think why he would notice _him_ first above everyone.

Slowly, the villagers got tired of flinging them up into the air. The seven of them apparently weren't as light-weighted as they looked. The people looked exhausted as they set the teens down, but when Kise asked if they were alright, they just brushed him off and claimed that they'll be fine as soon as they regain their breath.

"Go clean up first, you guys!" Kiyoshi from the kitchen crew, walked over and told them. "Dinner will be ready soon, but no hurry! We promise to save more than enough for all of you, so take your time and relax."

One of Kagami's source of motivation when he was at the Prime Minister's mansion was his want for sleep. He'd been driven to finish everything faster so he could return earlier and make up for his lack of rest the night before.

_But I guess that could wait_, he thought, smiling wanly to himself. He decided that some things are just better off not missed.

**xXx**

Kuroko wondered if the decorations were already set up earlier, or were the villagers just that efficient in their work.

Or maybe he'd just taken more time than he realized to bathe and clean himself of the grime, dust and the many kinds of stuff that had settled on his body earlier - Kuroko didn't know. What he _did_ know was that the village square was practically a different place by the time he'd finished bathing and headed there.

Kuroko was alone. Aomine had invited him for a game that mainly consisted of splashing Kagami until he half drowns, but Kuroko had politely declined and slipped off before anyone could notice. He wasn't that fond of the water himself. Knowing the tanned boy, things were probably going to be messy, and Kuroko didn't exactly fancy being dragged in and accidentally drowned instead. Besides, it was getting dark and dangerous. Akashi would probably do something about them anyway.

So there Kuroko stood in the flickering firelight, watching the activity around him with halfhearted interest. He watched as the villagers positioned a dozen or so hollowed out tree trunks in a circle around a bonfire, raking his fingers through his still wet hair in an attempt to comb it and make it dry faster. Eventually, he deemed his action futile and chose to stop. He sighed quietly as he brought his hand down, stopping right below his face.

Kuroko stared at various lines etched on the surface his palm, submersing himself into his thoughts. He had not expected a response from Kagami when he slipped his hand into his earlier. Kuroko had just expected him to either utterly freak out or blush furiously. But Kagami didn't. The redhead had smiled at him, and squeezed back gently.

Kuroko remembered the warmth he'd felt in his heart from that gesture slowly spreading towards the rest of his body. He remembered how his chest had constricted slightly, and how he'd felt a slight flutter at the base of his stomach. He remembered how happy he'd felt when Kagami responded to his action at that moment.

And that was the problem now. He _shouldn't_ be feeling these. He couldn't afford to. Kagami was _leaving_. At this rate, Kuroko might just be unable to accept that fact. He might just not want the redhead to leave for his own selfish reasons.

That can't happen. Kuroko will not let himself be the source of such problems. Kagami was going to continue his journey, and that was that. Even if it'll mean hurting himself, even if it required him to shut his feelings in a box and shove it into the depths of his heart, Kuroko will not make a fuss out of all this. He absolutely will _not_.

"..What am I doing.." Kuroko exhaled wearily, letting his hand fall back to his side. He wasn't used to thinking about things like this. It was strangely exhausting, with your mind contradicting your heart like that. It was a celebratory night. It was not the time to ponder over so many things that will ruin the mood. Kuroko took in another breath, and breathed out slowly. He should stop thinking.

"Kurokocchi! You were here all along?"

Kuroko closed his eyes, feeling a smile tug the side of his lips.

"Oi, Tetsu! You got nerve, ditching us like that!"

Yeah. He should stop thinking.

"Aomine, you bastard! I'll kill you for almost killing me!"

"I'd like to see you try, Bakagami!"

At least for now.

**xXx**

For the first time since he stumbled into the village, Kagami actually got seconds for a meal.

Really, he declined the offers at first. Since there was usually _just_ enough for everyone, Kagami felt that some were giving up some of their dinner so that he could eat more. He didn't want that. He didn't want someone to go to bed with an unsatisfied stomach just so that he could eat a little more.

But the serving staff kept on insisting for him to have it. They kept assuring him that they'd cooked a little more that night because _come on_, it was a bloody celebration! Their success deserves to be rewarded with a feast! They've been saving up food for this, so its fine!

Kagami didn't really believe them. He wanted to tell them that all he did was talk and blurt out whatever he'd memorized. He didn't do anything, just kept on relying on others; in the script, in helping him memorize, in bringing him to the city, in keeping the coast clear just so he could talk to the head of the country.

He did nothing. This fame should not belong to him.

"Just let everyone else eat more, then," he tried to reason. No, he is _not_ accepting it. He did not deserve it. "I'm used to eating this much."

And before Kagami could process the situation, his empty bowl was snatched from his hands, replaced by one filled with half eaten food. He looked up, a protest ready at the tip of his tongue, when he realized that it was Kuroko who did it.

"Kagami-kun can have mine." When the redhead opened his mouth to object, he said, "I can't finish mine."

Kuroko had a perfect excuse to make him eat more. The pale boy was famous for being an impossibly small eater.

"Kurochin will never grow if he keeps on eating less and less," Murasakibara - who was sharing a log with Kuroko - commented.

"I can only hold that much, Murasakibara-kun," Kuroko said, leaning back to his spot. "It'll only be a waste for me to leave so much behind."

Sometimes, it was just impossible to reason with him - Kagami found that out the hard way. It was different from Akashi's case where you're simply not _allowed_ to argue. Kuroko's has this talent of giving answers that tend to eventually not make any sense and would just make you lose the will to do anything but accept the fact that things are going to go his way.

But all that was just trivial matter. In fact, everything seemed so normal that it _hurt_. Kagami recalled the many times Kuroko had offered and given him his serving of food to satisfy his bottomless hunger throughout his two months of stay. He remembered the height or growth comments the others would make whenever Kuroko did so. He remembered the nights where they would just sit together, talk about nonsense, and laugh at one another's antics.

The realization that he was going to leave the very next day weighed down upon him.

Kagami suddenly found it very hard to breathe. His chest felt constricted, his throat raw. His eyes felt wet. Eh? Wet? Kagami blinked hard, forcing the moisture back. He swallowed, trying to ease the painful feeling in his throat. He knew these symptoms. He will _not_ cry. It was too embarrassing. People will talk. Aomine will surely tease him. It will mean that he was not willing to leave the village that he didn't even belong in.

And after so many hardships, so many memories made there, Kagami realized that he really _did_ not want to leave. His time spent there had made him treat the place as home. He thought he'd be more than happy to disappear when everything was over, but he was not ready. He wasn't ready to leave it all behind; the familiar taste of their food, the refreshing and cooling water at the waterfall, the friendly faces and gestures of the people there, the tree he'd pick as his own personal spot.

The person that he'd somehow come to fall for.

Wait. The person he'd come to _fall_ for?

If Kagami had wanted to ignore the nostalgia he was feeling, it was effective. He stared at the almost empty bowl in his hands. The person he fell for.. _huh_. Kagami unconsciously stole a glance at Kuroko through the corner of his eye. The pale boy was quietly observing the people all around, listening (or not?) to Kise's endless animated chatter. He seemed to sense that he was being watched, and glanced Kagami's way. Kagami quickly averted his gaze, hoping Kuroko did not notice. He prayed he wasn't blushing too - that would probably give everything away.

But the thought wouldn't leave him alone. Against his will, Kagami remembered the moments that'd slowly strengthened the bond between him and the short, thin, pale boy until it no longer felt like it was just a normal friendship; his first night of stay spent at Kuroko's secret spot in the forest, the night where they almost had to comfort each other, the after dark conversations on sleepless nights, the time when he'd assured Kuroko than he was there to protect him from Haizaki, the time when he'd carried the shorter up his tree to let him see what he saw up there, the smiles Kuroko would once in a while reward him with. The many times where Kuroko had held on to his hand.

That one night when Kuroko had kissed his forehead as a good luck charm.

Kagami knew he was slow, but _damn_. It wasn't easy to admit, but it seemed that he'd fallen pretty darn hard for the stupidly adorable, impossibly cute invisible boy.

Kagami knew just how bad the situation he got himself to was. At this rate, even if he could manage to force himself to follow his initial plans and leave, he might just want to take Kuroko along with him - to show him just how big the world is, to let him experience many things he'd probably never knew of.. and _yes_, to be together with him.

That can't do. Kagami couldn't possibly take Kuroko away just like that. Kuroko had a home here. A family that meant the world to him. He can't just take all these away from him.

Besides, Kagami had a promise to keep. A promise he'd made under the scorching sun, his arms soaked with soapy water.

"Kagami-kun?" A voice called him out of his reverie. Kagami blinked, realizing that he'd probably been staring at his bowl like it's the most interesting thing in the world for a while. He turned towards the source of the voice, finding a pair of large eyes gazing back at him curiously. Flecks of orange from the flames of the bonfire danced in those pools of blue.

"Yeah?" he said, successfully holding back the stutter that was threatening to make an appearance. But before Kuroko could say anything more, another voice spoke up.

"You finishing that?" Aomine drawled, walking over. Then without even bothering to wait for an answer, he plucked the bowl straight from the redhead's hands, and shoved the rest of the food into his mouth. When Kagami glared at him, he only shrugged. "What? You didn't look like you're going to finish it anyway."

Kagami wanted to be angry. Really, he did. Only he wasn't. He got this feeling that the tanned boy was right; he wasn't going to finish it. Not after all that thinking.

The rest of the night passed in a flurry of activities; ridiculous karaoke sessions, impressive showing-offs of talents, toasts to those who had contributed their efforts. Kise proved to be a surprisingly good singer (though Kagami could hardly hear him over the squeals of nearly the entire female population of the village). Aomine's deep voice would've made lots of people blush if it wasn't for the ridiculous song he chose to sing. Even Kuroko joined in the fun, choosing to display his skills with magic tricks. Kagami knew there was no such thing as magic. It was as the name says; a trick that bluffs the human senses and makes one think that the impossible happens. But from the smiles and gasps of fascination that Kuroko could bring forth from his audience, Kagami figured that maybe it really _was_ magic, in a way.

Even when Kagami was leaving with the excuse that he wanted to rest early, the celebration wasn't over. Loud sounds of chatter and laughter echoed behind him as he walked off. Kagami stared up towards the sky, admiring the cluster of stars that stood out brilliantly in the darkness. Resting was a lame excuse. Despite the exhaustion he'd felt earlier when he was in prison, adrenaline coursed through his veins now. He didn't want to sleep yet. He got the feeling that he were to get knocked out so early, he would regret it for the rest of his miserable life. And he was sure he still had a long life to live.

A blur of pale blue walked past him, swiftly grabbing his hand and pulling him along. Kagami yelped in surprise, returning his gaze to earth as he stumbled forward several steps. A flash of memory surfaced in his mind, a different night, different circumstance, but a similar situation.

"What-" Kagami was just about to ask when Kuroko glanced over his shoulder, his forefinger held up on his lips. Slowly, his eyes widen in realization. No words needed to be said. It was just like that night where the both of them simply wanted a quiet place to escape to, without anyone to bother them.

Kagami let himself to once again be led off into the complicated maze in the forest that served as the way to Kuroko's secret spot.

**xXx**

Everything was unchanged; from the peculiar patches of grass, to the image of the night reflected on the surface of the lake. Everything was still as beautiful, as breathtaking as before; as if it was enchanted to be forever unharmed and unscarred by whatever nature decides to throw against it.

Kagami sat on the same spot he'd taken the first time he was there, Kuroko settling down beside him. They stayed in silence for a long while, neither having the urge to ruin the tranquility of the moment as they gazed towards the endless moonlit horizon. Kagami folded his legs towards his chest, and hugged his knees. He was gradually beginning to regret letting himself being dragged there. The quietness around him only invited more unnecessary thoughts into his mind.

"..It's my final night here, huh?" Kagami unconsciously blurted out in a murmur. Kuroko's gaze flickered towards him from the corner of his eye, before focusing back to the view before him.

"Apparently so."

Kagami didn't care that he was heard. He hugged his knees tighter, bending his head to that his face was buried. This is bad. Now emotions are starting to take over. He had to calm down, breathe.

"Will Kagami-kun be missing us?" Kuroko mused aloud quietly. His tone was odd. Kagami couldn't quite place what's wrong.

"What are you saying?" Kagami's voice was muffled, even after he'd lifted his head a little. Then he added in a much softer voice; "Of course I will, idiot. I hate to admit it, but I'll miss you guys so much I'll probably not be able to sleep for the first few nights."

A moment of silence, followed by the sound of clothes shifting. Kagami could feel Kuroko reaching out to gently brush his fingers on his dark red hair. Just like how he did that one time before. Slowly, Kagami looked up completely, his eyes meeting his companion's.

"How about you?" he asked, keeping their gazed locked. "Will you be missing me when I'm gone?"

The seriousness in his own tone surprised him. But what stunned him more, was the soft smile that graced Kuroko's features once the question had been registered.

"Of course."

Kagami did not respond. He was once again captivated by the smaller boy; the affection in his small smile, the way he tilted his head slightly to the side as he looked at him, the million of unsaid things in his eyes. Kagami found himself leaning towards Kuroko, stretching out his hand. He swept back the shorter's pale colored fringe, and lightly placed a kiss on his forehead.

He immediately turned away as soon as he leaned back so he wouldn't have to proudly display the color of his face. "T-There. Revenge for what you did to me yesterday."

If he had looked back at that time, he would've had the privilege of seeing the blush rising up Kuroko's face. But Kagami obstinately kept his gaze away, unwilling to face his companion again after that embarrassing action.

"Shouldn't Kagami-kun have given me something more memorable if that was meant as a forget-me-not gift?" was all Kuroko said, followed by a restrained chuckle. Kagami turned, temporarily forgetting his mortification in a fit of indignation.

"What's that supposed to-"

He trailed off when a pair of pale hands slipped up the sides of his face, tenderly pulling him close. Kagami's breathing involuntarily hitched. Wait_, _wait_, wait. WHAT_. He stopped, Kuroko's face barely an inch from his, his warm breath ghosting over his lips. Kagami suddenly found the rest of the world shut out, for he was only painfully aware of the fact that all he had to do was lean forward a little and -

Kuroko closed his eyes, and kissed him; a soft, timid, almost _nonexistent_ kiss. Some part deep in Kagami's mind that wasn't going haywire and bombarded with mental fireworks flashed back to a similar moment some time ago, where something unintentional had made him have the same thoughts. But he hadn't had the courage to do anything then. Neither one of them had took the initiative to go any further out of hesitation, shyness, and perhaps the fear of being discovered.

There was no one else around now.

Kuroko's kiss ignited a spark in Kagami that would, without a doubt evolve into a raging fire if not controlled properly. Kagami found himself quite unwilling to stop. When Kuroko pulled back to regain his air supply, Kagami's hand made its way towards the back of the smaller boy's head, pulling him forward to engage into another kiss; more insistent, passionate. Almost desperate.

Kagami wasn't thinking. No, he did not _want_ to think. All those crap about the both of them being the same gender and how wrong it would be if they were to think of each other as more than friends did not matter one bit. Not now when his feelings were overflowing from the container that had forcefully held it down for so long. Not now when everything was just so perfect.

Not now when it was his final chance.

Kuroko did not resist, instead choosing to respond by looping his arms around Kagami's neck, pulling them closer and closer, deepening the already deepened kiss. They broke apart only for brief gulps of air before latching their lips together again, unwilling to part just yet. It was strange, how much more emotion one action can carry compared to that in words.

Gradually, the need to breathe normally again became too much, and they had to stop. Kagami leaned his forehead against Kuroko's, slightly out of breath. His head was spinning from his lack of oxygen intake, which didn't bother him the least. He gently cupped his companion's cheek with his right hand, his thumb subconsciously rubbing circles on the soft shade of pink that had settled there. Kuroko only closed his eyes as he leaned against his touch, not saying a word.

Because there was nothing to be said. Not anymore.

"..Hey, Kuroko?" Kagami whispered after a his breathing had long calmed down and his heart had finally resumed a normal beating rate. "There's something.. I want to ask of you."

Eyelids part, revealing a pair of bright blue orbs that Kagami thought as so beautiful at that moment that it could make the skies during a sunny day jealous. "What is it?"

Kagami dropped his gaze, suddenly finding it difficult to let out his voice without the danger of it quavering. He _must_ do this right. Or else he'll lose the chance for good. He took in a deep breath, and looked up, scarlet meeting baby blue. "Just for tonight. Stay with me."

_Stay with me._

Great. His voice cracked there. Kagami bit his lip, once again hating himself for showing his weakness in front of Kuroko. Just like the last time in the flickering candle light.

But Kuroko did not tease nor mock him. Kagami was crestfallen when Kuroko removed his hand from his cheek, thinking that he'd finally went too far and messed things up. But before he could blurt out a dejected apology or anything, he felt Kuroko wrapping his arms around the back of his head and neck, slowly bringing him forward towards his chest.

"I'll be here, Kagami-kun," Kuroko assured, his voice almost inaudible as he enveloped the taller boy in an embrace. His hold was tender, as if he was afraid that Kagami would break if he went any tighter. "I'll be here."

That night, Kagami did not let go of the warmth that he'd so shamelessly longed for before. But that's okay. Because he knew Kuroko had been experiencing the same feelings too, judging from the way he'd refused to release his hand throughout the entire night.

**xXx**

Kuroko leaned against the wall and watched as Kagami shoved whatever belongings he had left into a canvas bag the villagers had gotten for him. His eyes followed every movement of the redhead's hand, quietly observing as the towel Kagami had always used in his stay disappeared behind a layer of rough material. It was Kagami's decision to no leave behind any signs of his existence in the place at all, not even a strand of hair.

Because Kuroko knew Kagami was aware. He was aware that any remaining hints of his stay would only bring unbearable pain to the person whom he barely had the heart to leave behind.

Kuroko kept on watching as Kagami finished his last minute packing up, feeling numb. It was as if all the emotions had just been drained out of him now that it was time. He felt no sadness, no unwillingness, and no squeezes in his chest.

Only a certain emptiness, as if all that was left of him was merely a shell of his being.

"Shall we go?" Kagami asked once he was done, walking up to the pale boy. Kuroko gazed at his face, remembering the times when he'd marveled at just how strong of a person he looked. Stable. Brave. Now those strangely shaped eyebrows were slightly drawn, those scarlet eyes glinting suspiciously. A smile that didn't quite reach his eyes was plastered on his face.

Kuroko nodded, moving from his spot and towards the taller. He slipped his hand into his, and together, they made their way outside towards where everyone was waiting to see the redhead off.

And all the while, Kuroko remained silent. His face might be naturally neutral, but he was sure his voice would be his downfall, despite the lack of feelings he was experiencing at the moment.

The farewells from the villagers was informal, and perhaps a little too lively, but it was sincere. In fact, it almost made Kagami lose his self control and break down. Adults cheered his name, thanking him again and again for his efforts and promised that they'll not let it all go to waste. The kitchen staff gathered around him and took turns slapping his back, telling him not to forget them anytime soon. Momoi gave him a hug. The children who'd often came over to Kuroko's place while Kagami was bemoaning the amount of script he had to memorize, crowded at his feet, many with tears in their eyes, telling him that they'd miss him and asking if he will visit again some time to see if their doing well and tell them more about his adventures. The girl who had been saved by him and Kuroko hugged his leg tight and refused to let go without much coaxing.

Really, if Kagami were to have a _little_ less willpower, he would've been shedding not so manly tears by then. But he bit the corner of his lip, and managed to hold it all in. No, he wasn't going to cry.

_I'm not going to cry. _

"So. This is goodbye," Akashi said when Kagami turned towards him and the rest of the gang. The villagers had finished bidding their farewells and with many waves, decided to go back to their activities. Kagami shrugged, trying a little too hard to look indifferent.

"Guess so."

"Don't mess up and get yourself killed somewhere on the way okay, _Bakagami_?" Aomine said with a grin, tackling the redhead into a headlock and pressing his knuckle against his temple.

"Didn't know you'd care so much about me, _Ahomine_," he remarked, successfully freeing himself from the tanned boy's hold. For once, he didn't mind what he did to him. When Aomine rewarded him with a sneer, he added, "But thanks. I'll make sure I won't die any time soon."

"Hmph." Aomine crossed his arms and looked away, but the amused smile did not leave his features.

_I am not sad._

"Bring us some souvenirs the next time you come to visit, Kagamicchi!" chirped Kise as he pulled Kagami into a hasty hug. When he released him, Kagami was surprised to see moisture in the blonde's eyes.

"Why the heck are you _crying_?" he asked, managing to laugh. Frankly, he wasn't very sure how to react.

"Oh, shut up." Kise smiled a watery smile, sniffling as he reached up to wipe his eyes before it could be too obvious.

_It'll be fine._

"You cry too much, Kise," Midorima scoffed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his bandaged hand. When Kagami glanced at him, he muttered, "Don't expect to do something as cheesy as wishing you a safe journey, Kagami."

Kagami found himself smiling wryly at the statement for no apparent reason. "Yeah. Nice to have met you too, Midorima."

_I have to leave._

"I hope Kaga-chin likes the food I picked for you," Murasakibara said, sleepily chewing on some sweets. Kagami turned to stare up at him, blinking in surprise. Murasakibara packing his food? They weren't particularly close or anything, so why? Kagami couldn't help feeling this slight suspicion that the giant only volunteered to do it because it granted him extra time in the kitchen for him to have extra snacks, but who knows? Maybe Murasakibara did eventually come to take a liking to him or something.

"Thanks," Kagami said evenly. "It's not like I have a choice if I want to survive out there, now do I?"

"Hm." Murasakibara only smiled faintly as a response.

_Quickly. _

"Take care of yourself, Taiga." Akashi's touch on his shoulder made Kagami jolt violently. The shorter redhead only chuckled casually at his reaction, seemingly amused, before retracting his hand, and crossing his arms.

It was a split second decision. Kagami turned towards them, took a step back, and bowed low. "Thank you all for everything."

_Or else I'll.._

He straightened, a for a brief moment, his eyes met Kuroko's. A small smile tugged the corner of his lips, and he reached out.

"I'll see you again, Kuroko," he said, ruffling the shorter boy's soft, unruly, pale blue hair. He slipped his hand down the side of his face, his fingertips barely touching Kuroko's alabaster skin. He ignored the stares a certain trio was giving him. Kuroko stared up at him, his face a deadpanned mask. Kagami did not notice the silent dilemma he was facing.

_I won't want him to go. _

"Well." Kagami huffed, letting his hand fall back to his side. "I'll be going then."

_Now. Before it's too late. _

Kagami turned, and seemed to hesitate for a second. He took in a deep breath, clenching the his fists to stop them from shaking. He shrugged, adjusting the strap of the bag over his shoulder, and willed his legs to move, taking him towards the direction that would lead him out of the forest as pointed out by Akashi earlier. He did not look back. Not once.

He could not bring himself to do so.

…

There was a brief moment of silence at the group watched the figure of the redhead disappear behind the thick growth of trees. And then Aomine spoke up.

"I guess it's going to be quiet here again now that he's gone, huh-" He stopped short as soon as he turned towards his pale friend. "Tetsu..?"

Kuroko blinked. "_Eh_?"

"K-Kurokocchi?" Kise sounded panicked. Kuroko didn't understand why. "You're.. crying?"

_Crying?_

Kuroko lifted his hands to his face, feeling wetness on his cheeks. He sniffled as he wiped the stray tears with the back of his hands. ".._Eh_?" The tears won't stop! What should he do? The more he tried to keep them at bay, the more he felt them overflowing from his eyes. What happened? Why couldn't he stop? It's not like he's sad or anything!

Or was he? Without realizing it?

Kuroko didn't want to confirm it. He got the feeling he would only cry harder if he put more thought into the matter.

So he concentrated on stopping. He inhaled deep breaths, swallowed to ease the painful rawness in his throat, fisting the hem of his shirt to stop the quaking of his body. He had to _stop_. Or else it could only trouble the people around him more.

And amid his efforts, Kuroko felt his hands being slowly pried away from his face. He looked up, and took a quick glance around, noticing the strange expressions of his friends. It made him uneasy. It gave him the vibes that something would happen. Something that would hurt each and every one of them a lot.

Aomine reached out, and brushed away the trails of tears on Kuroko's cheeks with the back of his well calloused fingers. He muttered something under his breath as he did so, something Kuroko couldn't hear. Except for one word.

_Promise._

Promise? What promise? To whom? For what? Questions - millions of them, swirled in his mind. Why are they looking like that? Why is everyone looking so hurt? What's wrong? Was it because he'd failed to control himself and broke down a little? Did his eyes betray him, letting them see the pain in them?

Kuroko didn't know anymore. He was so confused. And the feeling was only added when Aomine suddenly bent down, and gave him a soft peck on his cheek.

"_Go_," he whispered, and pulled back. Kuroko stared at him in stunned silence. Aomine grinned back bravely at him, though Kuroko noticed the slight waver in his feat.

And then before he could find his voice to say anything, Kise walked over, and kissed his other cheek. "And Kagamicchi promised too," he said, not bothered to hide the quaver in his voice. This time, he was the one Kuroko stared at.

_Eh?_

"Follow your heart, Kurochin," Murasakibara said, bending down to place a kiss on the top of the pale boy's head. "Before it's too late."

_I don't understand.._

Midorima pressed the tip of the nose of the bunny plushie he was holding on Kuroko's chin. "Here's your lucky item for the day." When Kuroko looked at him with that bewildered expression, the set of his features softened a little. "The horoscopes say that today's the best day for Aquariuses to do something they'd always wanted to do."

_Why does this sound like another goodbye?_

Akashi took Kuroko's hands in his and leaned forward, pressing a light kiss on his nose. "Your home will always be here, Tetsuya. You'll always be welcomed to come back whenever you want." He pulled back, and stared into his eyes. "Go on. Taiga probably hasn't made it too far yet. You'll still be able to catch up if you hurry now."

Understanding slowly dawned him, and Kuroko widened his eyes. "But.."

"Even if it means we have to part from Kurokocchi," Kise pulled him into a hug, cutting off whatever he'd wanted to say. "If that's what it takes to make you happy, then we're okay with it, you know."

With Kise still keeping his hold on him, Akashi slipped his arms around Kuroko's waist, followed by Aomine - who wrapped his arms over the three of them, then Midorima (with much reluctance), and or course, Murasakibara who could envelope the whole group in a bearhug without barely even trying. _Oh dear_. Kuroko could feel those stupid tears welling up again.

"Everyone.." Kuroko had to bite his lip to stop himself from giving in to the urge to break down again. It was difficult, but he managed.

"Feel free to tell me if Kagami does not treat you the way he should," Aomine said as he and the rest unwound themselves from the pale boy. "I'll bash him up for you."

"Now, now, Daiki," Akashi said calmly. "I'm sure Taiga wouldn't dare." His mismatched eyes gleamed dangerously for a second. But when he faced Kuroko, the look was gone. "There's no time to do anything more, Tetsuya. You'll have to rely on Taiga for some things, but I'm sure it could be settled without much problems."

Despite himself and the situation he was in , Kuroko could feel a smile slowly spreading across his face. It was typical of the Generation of Miracles to bully Kagami like that, even when he was no longer involving himself with them.

"Thank you all so much," Kuroko said, running the back of his hand over his eyes one last time to wipe away the gathering tears. They weren't needed anymore. "And I'm sorry."

"Be careful, Kurokocchi!" Kise called out once Kuroko had started running towards the path where Kagami was to take. "We won't be there for you anymore, so take care of yourself!"

Kuroko glanced over his shoulder, and with a smile on his face, nodded.

And then he was gone.

Kise turned away, and choked back a sob. He thought he had been prepared for this. He knew this would happen, sooner or later. He knew that the moment he noticed how Kuroko gazed at Kagami. Yet, it still hurt too much. It was too sudden.

It _hurt_.

"Oi, Kise," Aomine's voice sounded behind him. "You crying there?"

Kise turned a little so he was looking at the tanned boy from the corner of his eye, and a wry smile found its way to his features. "I could ask the same to you, Aominecchi."

Aomine sniffled, and grinned, his eyes unusually wet. "_Meh_."

**xXx**

Kuroko ran.

He ran and ran, forcing himself to not think about what he'd just done. It hadn't been easy for them to make that decision, Kuroko knew. And that was why he was determined make the best out of the chance his family had given him. He had to find Kagami.

Trees and greenery blurred past him as he sprinted through the forest. How long had it been since Kagami set out? Ten minutes? Twenty minutes? If he was walking at a normal pace, he wouldn't have made it far. Kuroko's eyes darted around, looking for anything that could be used to distinguish the redhead's figure from all these trees. He mustn't miss him and let it all end up as a meaningless game of tag.

Kuroko stumbled out of the thick growth of trees and into another path. He turned his head from left to right, right to left. And just when he was about to start running again, something caught his eye.

There was a silhouette walking in the distance to his right - around a hundred meters from where he stood, perhaps? - heading further and further away from him. There was no mistaking the person; that untamed mop of dark red hair, that sturdy built. He had to stop him now. He had to let him know.

Kuroko took in a deep breath, cupped his hands around his mouth, and in the loudest voice he'd ever used in his life, shouted the person's name.

He watched as the figure stopped in his steps, feeling a new sense of hope, excitement gradually well up within him. _This is it_, he thought. The start of a new life, a new adventure, a new journey.

And slowly, Kagami turned back.

**.End.**

* * *

**So.. this is the end ouo. Disappointment much? ahaha I don't know ;u;. I can proudly say that I did my best TuT. but if there's anything you guys think I can improve in or fix, then feel free to tell me ouo. especially the uhh.. KagaKuro bonding part lol.**

**And well, confession time. If you'd ever questioned the originality of this story, then I congratulate you lol. I'll admit that I got the general thief rebelling government idea from another awesome manga/anime, Magi. If you've read it, then you'll probably know what I mean. If you haven't, then give it a try :D. ITS AWESOME I TELL YOU. AWESOME.**

**on the side note, Happy Birthday to our dear Kurokocchi! I couldn't specially write anything for his birthday, so I made do with this ;;u;;. **

**OTL. **

**ah well. Thank you all so so much for all the responses you've given throughout this story! It meant a lot to me. I mean, a _lot_. Words cannot describe these feels. Just. Thank you. I love you guys so much.**

**Anyway, I guess I'll see you guys in my other fics :D KuroBasu isn't mine. Thank you all so much again for reading!**


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